The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the trial of detained Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to Monday, October 27, after he told the court his former legal team had refused to release his case file.
Justice James Omotosho granted the adjournment on Friday following Kanu’s complaint that his dismissed lawyers, led by former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), had not handed over the documents needed for his defence.
The court had initially scheduled Friday’s proceedings for Kanu to begin his defence against terrorism charges filed by the Federal Government.
Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), appearing for the prosecution, reminded the court of the earlier directive. However, Kanu appeared without legal representation.
Speaking from the dock with a bundle of documents, Kanu announced his appearance and explained his predicament to the judge.
“My lord, my counsel left the case yesterday, and I have not received the file from them,” he said, requesting time to retrieve and study the documents.
Kanu also informed the court of his intention to call 23 witnesses, including foreign nationals, and sought an order compelling the Department of State Services to grant his overseas witnesses access to him.
He further requested permission for his lawyers to visit him on non-working days, which Justice Omotosho approved.
Awomolo, however, described Kanu’s complaint as “strange”, pointing out that the defendant had spent considerable time in court with his former legal team.
He urged the court to enforce its earlier order restricting Kanu to six days to present and conclude his defence.
“I’m aware that there is a standing order for the defendant to defend himself within six days. The defendant wasted yesterday. This is the second day, my lord. I urge your lordship to keep to the standing order of the number of days given to the defendant,” Awomolo said.
In his ruling, Justice Omotosho acknowledged that whilst Kanu’s claim about the withheld file was “strange and difficult to believe”, he would grant a brief adjournment in the interest of justice.
The judge warned against unnecessary delays, noting that the lengthy proceedings had disrupted several other cases on the court’s docket.
The trial was adjourned to Monday for Kanu to open his defence.
