Again, Court shifts Nnamdi Kanu’s defence to Oct 27 over absence of case file
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday gave the Biafra nation agitator, Nnamdi Kanu till Monday October 27 to open his defence in the terrorism charges brought against him by federal government.
Recall that on Thursday the judge adjourned the matter till Friday as the defendant sacked his team of counsel in the court room .
The judge fixed a new date on Friday following the complaint by Kanu that his former lawyers led by a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice AGF, Kanu Agabi SAN has not released his case file to him to study.
When the matter was called, Adegboyeaga Awomolo SAN announced appearance for the federal government and that the business of the day was for Kanu to kick start his defence as earlier ordered by court.
No lawyer appeared for Kanu. The defendant who entered the dock with a bundle of documents announced appearance for himself and thereafter informed the Judge that his legal team sacked on October 23 has not released the case file to him.
He said he was constrained to ask for an adjournment to enable him get the case file and study it to be able to prepare fully for his defence.
Besides, he said he intend to call 23 witnesses from within and outside the country and urged the court to issue order to the Department of the State Service DSS to permit the foreign witnesses access to him.
He also asked the Judge to order DSS to allow his lawyers have access to him on non working days which was promptly granted.
At this point, counsel to the federal government said that the complaint of Kanu was strange because he was in the court room for hours with his former lawyers.
Awomolo SAN also reminded the Judge of the six days granted to Kanu to open and close defence and urged the court to strictly adhere to the order.
Justice James Omotosho in a brief response said he was mindful of granting adjournment because of Kanu’s claim of not having case file.
The judge said that the allegations that Kanu Agabi did not release the case file was strange and unbelievable but that he would oblige the defendant an adjournment.
He however warned against undue delay especially wastage of the judicial time of the court adding that several other cases have suffered delay because of Kanu’s matter.
The Judge subsequently fixed Monday, October 27 for the defendant to open his defence.
