Thousands of people in Nigeria and abroad are marking the
one-year anniversary since their leader Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in Lagos on 14
October 2015.
Pro-Biafrans call for the independence of contested Biafran
territories forcibly annexed to Nigeria during British colonisation. Kanu,
leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) and director of UK-based Radio
Biafra, is standing trial on six counts of treasonable felony charges.
The Abuja High Court initially ruled in favour of granting bail
to Kanu. However, in December 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari said the Ipob
leader would not be released amid fears he could jump bail and flee to the UK,
as he holds both a British and a Nigerian passport.
In
response, Kanu and his legal representatives sued the federal
government arguing
that his continued detention was a violation of his human rights. Kanu asked
for $800m (£646m) in compensation.
Earlier
this year, the judge presiding over Kanu's case stepped down. As the trial is
now on hold, until a new judge is appointed, IBTimes
UK looks at the
case and its setbacks since December 2015.
December
2015
On 1
December, the trial is
unexpectedly adjournedwhile Kanu's lawyers express fears for his
client's safety. Kanu says he has no confidence in the court and alleges the
government will not respect the outcome of the trial, which he
deems as "needless".
As a result, Justice Ahmed Mohammed steps down. The case is
assigned to Tsoho.
January 2016
A hearing
set for 18 January to discuss Kanu's bail application put forward by his
lawyers is adjourned to 20 January as Tsoho
is absent in court.
Two days
later, Tsoho rules Kanu should not longer be in DSS detention and orders he be
sent to the Kuje prison. On 29 January, Tsoho
denies bail to Kanu arguing
he can
leave the country.
February 2016
On 19
February, Tsoho
rules against the
possibility of conducting the trial secretly, as requested by the prosecution.
March
2016
On 7 March, one of Kanu's representatives, Chuks Muoma (SAN),
says the prosecution is not ready to corroborate the charges against Kanu. He
also asks for the charges against his clients to be dropped.
Tsoho
rules against Kanu's request to
drop the charges and allows witnesses to testify behind protective screens. On
9 March, the defence opposes
Tsoho's previous ruling that
witnesses can testify behind screens.
April 2016
On 5
April, the trial is adjourned to 26 April after Chuks Muoma asks the court for
a stay of proceedings pending an
appeal his team has submitted against
a previous court ruling.
On 26 April, the court adjourns the case to June
May 2016
Kanu's
defence argues against the decision of Justice John Tsoho to deny bail to their
client. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upholds
the high court's decision.
June 2016
Muoma
claims a
new lawyer has been introduced to
represent Madubugwu. The trial is adjourned to 26 September to allow the new
lawyer, Amobi Nzelo, to study the documents relating to the case.
September 2016
On 6 September,
Judge Tsoho steps down and transfers
the case back to the
Chief Justice of the Abuja Federal High Court. The decision comes after Kanu
and his legal team asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to probe the judge
over alleged "conflicting rulings".
Kanu's defence claimed Tsoho initially ruled in favour of the
defence's application against the prosecution's request to protect witnesses.
He was then believed to have ruled in favour of the prosecution, without
seeking the permission of a higher court.
The
Premium Times website reports
Tshoho claimed he
would not continue to preside over the case even if the NJC cleared him of any
bias.
October 2016
The trial
on Kanu's continued detention is adjourned to 8 November. Ecowas
postpones the caseafter the Nigerian government and its legal
representatives fail to appear in court on 6 October.
Source ibtimes.co.uk
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