Law News
Court rejects Kanu’s plea on passports

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed an application by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, for the release of certain items, including his British and Nigerian passports, which are in the custody of the Department of State Services.

Justice James Tsoho dismissed the application made orally by Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Chuks Muouma (SAN), who had sought the release of the items on the grounds that they would not be needed by the prosecution since they were not listed as part of the exhibits to be tendered.

Apart from the passports, other items which Muouma sought to be released to the IPOB leader, who is currently in detention along with his two co-accused person at Kuje prison, are cash sums of $2,200 and N87,000.

In a bench ruling delivered shortly after entertaining various arguments, Justice Tsoho dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

The judge held that the fact that the items were not listed as possible exhibits did not foreclose the possibility of their being later used by the prosecution.

He held that just as the prosecution was at liberty to call any witness it intended to at any time, it could also decide to tender any exhibit without prior listing of them.

“On the basis of that, the application is here by dismissed for lacking in merit,” the judge ruled.

Meanwhile, the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Mohammed Diri, informed the judge on Tuesday that he had filed an application seeking the protection of the prosecution witnesses.

Diri, who is the Federal Director of Public Prosecution, told journalists after the proceedings that he decided to file the application as some of the prosecution witnesses had been receiving threat messages on their phones.

“We filed it because many of our witnesses have been telling us that they are receiving threat messages on their telephones, warning them not to appear in the case,” Diri said.

But the defence lawyer informed the judge that he intended to oppose the application and sought time to respond to the application.

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