Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Reuben Abati, has stated that the terrorism conviction of the chief of the Indigenous Folks of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is way from concluded, regardless of reviews suggesting in any other case.
Abati confused that the case has not ended, as Kanu nonetheless has the precise to enchantment to the Courtroom of Attraction and probably the Supreme Courtroom. He, nevertheless, warned that overturning the judgment might be troublesome based mostly on precedent.
Talking on Friday throughout Come up Tv’s Morning Present, Abati defined that Kanu was prosecuted underneath the Terrorism Prevention Modification Act of 2013, which prescribes the demise penalty for terrorism and treason associated offences.
He added that the matter additionally carries political dimensions and instructed that President Bola Tinubu might ultimately come underneath strain to train the prerogative of mercy, both by granting a pardon or commuting the sentence.
Abati stated the licensed true copy of the judgment spans 144 pages and reveals that Kanu was convicted on all six counts underneath the 2013 Act. He added that the complexity of the trial, which handed by means of 5 judges, was compounded by Kanu’s choice to dismiss his authorized crew.
In line with him, the courtroom discovered that the prosecution proved its case and that Kanu, who was requested to enter his defence, not solely sacked his legal professionals but in addition behaved confrontationally throughout proceedings.
Abati stated:
“Nnamdi Kanu was charged underneath the previous regulation, the 2013 regulation, Terrorism Prevention Modification Act, and underneath that regulation, the punishment for terrorism, for treason, is the demise penalty. And that’s why a lady, a loyal SAN, who’s the lead prosecutor for the federal authorities, insisted that the Courtroom of Justice Omotosho ought to have utilized that previous regulation, as a result of it was underneath that regulation that he was charged. Justice Omotosho’s judgment, the licensed true copy, is about 144 pages. I’ve simply tried to take a random have a look at it, and he convicted Nnamdi Kanu on all six counts, counts one to 6, and the reference in all of these counts is the Terrorism Prevention Modification Act of 2013.
“Nonetheless, the massive concern is about how the trial had gone, 5 judges, and now now we have reached this stage on the Federal Excessive Courtroom. The primary concern is the truth that the accused particular person himself dismissed his authorized crew. Maybe, if Kanu Agabi and the remainder of the defence crew had been allowed to defend him, the result might properly have been barely completely different.
“There was some discuss written tackle underneath Administration of Justice Act of 2015, that’s discretionary. A case shouldn’t be decided on the idea of written tackle, it’s decided on the preponderance of proof. The decide dominated that the prosecution had confirmed its case and offered sufficient proof to point out that Kanu wanted to be convicted. In any case, he was left with no possibility as a result of the accused particular person was requested to enter a defence. He not solely sacked his legal professionals, he additionally behaved in a really confrontational method in courtroom.
“I’ve seen some reviews saying the case has ended. The case has not ended. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has the choice of going to the Courtroom of Attraction. He may even go all the way in which to the Supreme Courtroom. In the event you have a look at precedent, it will be very troublesome to overturn the proof from the decrease courtroom. The place expressed by Justice Omotosho reveals that this matter has not ended due to the political dimension to it. I see a scenario whereby, on the finish of the day, President Bola Tinubu will be pressured to use the prerogative of mercy, grant a pardon, or maybe commute the sentence, or the federal authorities can take different actions, having refused to intervene within the judicial course of by activating Part 174 of the 1999 Structure, which provides the Legal professional Common the ability to withdraw the case.
“As I stated, this story has not ended. We will see what occurs ultimately. However President Tinubu can simply grant a pardon or commute the sentence, after which the political half can are available. The President will say the judicial course of has gone this fashion. Okay, allow us to have a look at this selection. My private opinion, I’m not saying that it’s what will occur.”
