An Abuja Magistrate Court yesterday ordered the Department of the State Services (DSS) to produce the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, unfailingly before the court on November 23. Kanu is to answer criminal charges brought against him by the Federal Government. Chief Magistrate Shauibu Usman gave the order following the absence of the accused in court when the trial was to commence.
The DSS had refused to bring Kanu to court yesterday despite an order made on October 23 to that effect. Magistrate Usman insisted that no trial can continue in a criminal case in the absence of the accused, adding that the only condition that can make a court to excuse the absence of an accused has not come up.
The decision of the Magistrate followed a claim by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Moses Idakwo, that the accused person was not brought to court because ordinary application challenging the jurisdiction of the Magistrate Court to continue the trial was slated for hearing.
Idakwo told the court that as soon as the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court has been resolved, the DSS will now produce the accused by the court. However, the submission of Idakwo did not go down well with Magistrate Usman who reminded the prosecutor that on October 23, he made an order that the accused must at all time be brought to court throughout the trial.
Apart from the absence of the accused in court that stalled the trial, two legal practitioners, Mr. Gabriel Egbule and Vincent Obete, engaged themselves in war of words in the open court on the issue of which side is the authentic lawyer to the accused person.
Egbule, who first announced his appearance for the accused person, informed the court that he represented the accused person on October 19 when he was first arraigned and that he was ready to continue to defend the accused.
He produced a letter claimed to have been written to him by the next of kin of the accused person appointing him as lawyer to the Kanu. But, Obete produced a letter from IPOB, signed by the deputy director, Alphonsus Mefor, appointing him as lawyer.
Besides, Obete also produced another letter, dated October 16 from the father of the accused person, Eze Kanu of Afara-Ukwu kingdom, also appointing him as a counsel to defend his son. Magistrate Usman who intervened in the issue said that on October 19 when Kanu was brought before him, the accused told the court that he had no lawyer prompting Egbule to fill the gap.
He, however, told the two lawyers that the accused person would on Monday November 23, determine who is lawyer is. Kanu is standing trial on criminal conspiracy, managing and belonging to an unlawful society and criminal intimidation contrary to Section 97, 97B and 397 of the penal code. Meanwhile, pro-Biafra groups yesterday shut down economic and social activities in Aba, the commercial centre of Abia State, for the second time in two weeks.
The protesters again marched through the major streets including Aba- Owerri Road, Umungasi, among other roads with trumpets singing, dancing and calling for the release of Kanu. All the major markets in the city including Ariaria International market were shut while the protest lasted.
The protest in Umuahia on Monday did not record the large turnout of that of Aba notwithstanding that Knau is from Umuahia. The House of Representatives will today deliberate on the by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafran (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) seeking for the declaration of Biafran state.
The decision to discuss the protests was taken after a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi) was adopted by the House.
Idakwo told the court that as soon as the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court has been resolved, the DSS will now produce the accused by the court. However, the submission of Idakwo did not go down well with Magistrate Usman who reminded the prosecutor that on October 23, he made an order that the accused must at all time be brought to court throughout the trial.
Apart from the absence of the accused in court that stalled the trial, two legal practitioners, Mr. Gabriel Egbule and Vincent Obete, engaged themselves in war of words in the open court on the issue of which side is the authentic lawyer to the accused person.
He produced a letter claimed to have been written to him by the next of kin of the accused person appointing him as lawyer to the Kanu. But, Obete produced a letter from IPOB, signed by the deputy director, Alphonsus Mefor, appointing him as lawyer.
Besides, Obete also produced another letter, dated October 16 from the father of the accused person, Eze Kanu of Afara-Ukwu kingdom, also appointing him as a counsel to defend his son. Magistrate Usman who intervened in the issue said that on October 19 when Kanu was brought before him, the accused told the court that he had no lawyer prompting Egbule to fill the gap.
He, however, told the two lawyers that the accused person would on Monday November 23, determine who is lawyer is. Kanu is standing trial on criminal conspiracy, managing and belonging to an unlawful society and criminal intimidation contrary to Section 97, 97B and 397 of the penal code. Meanwhile, pro-Biafra groups yesterday shut down economic and social activities in Aba, the commercial centre of Abia State, for the second time in two weeks.
The protesters again marched through the major streets including Aba- Owerri Road, Umungasi, among other roads with trumpets singing, dancing and calling for the release of Kanu. All the major markets in the city including Ariaria International market were shut while the protest lasted.
The protest in Umuahia on Monday did not record the large turnout of that of Aba notwithstanding that Knau is from Umuahia. The House of Representatives will today deliberate on the by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafran (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) seeking for the declaration of Biafran state.
The decision to discuss the protests was taken after a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi) was adopted by the House.
