BEVERLY HILLS, November 08, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has re-arraigned Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on an amended 11-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony and publication of defamatory matter.
Kanu was arraigned, on Tuesday, along with Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and they pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.
In the amended charge, all four defendants were accused of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act in count one.
In count three, they allegedly managed an unlawful society, while count eight borders on possession of unlawful firearms and count 11 hinges on acts of terrorism.
Nwawuisi, the 4th defendant, was added in the amended 11-count charge, as he had not been previously charged with the other three in the earlier six-count charge.
They allegedly committed the offences in Nigeria and London between 2014 and 2015.
Counsel to the defendants, Chief Chucks Muoma (SAN), Mr Inalegwu Adoga, Mr E.I Esene and Mr Maxwel Okpara, complained to the judge that the prosecution was bent on frustrating the case by employing unnecessary delay tactics.
However, Justice Nyako said that since the case was before her for the first time, she was not interested in what had happened in the past.
“The case is coming before me for the first time so let us start on a clean slate, forget what happened previously,” Nyako said and fixed November 17 to hear the bail applications filed by counsel to all the defendants.
Story by Oputah David
