The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Thursday, November 20, moved to halt the scheduled judgement on the seven-count terrorism charge the Federal Government preferred against him at the Federal High Court, Abuja, saying the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear his case. The court had on November 7 fixed the matter for judgement. However, when the case was called up, trial Justice James Omotosho noted that shortly after the case was adjourned, Kanu filed a series of motions before the court. After Kanu identified all the motions, they were consolidated by the court which equally allowed him to argue them. In his submissions, Kanu, in his first motion filed on November 12, prayed for an order, referring what he described as certain substantial issues arising from the trial, to the Court of Appeal. He further prayed the court to stay further proceedings in the case, pending the determination of the case by the appellate court. The IPOB leader insisted that the trial court, ab initio, lacked the jurisdiction to try him on the strength of a charge he said was based on a non-existing law. He contended that the Supreme Court had noted that the offence in count 7 of the charge does not exist in law. More so, he argued that the evidence the prosecution tendered against him were sufficiently demolished, even as he raised the issue of the denial of fair hearing. It was Kanus position that the court was wrong to unilaterally waive his right to file a written address before the case was slated for judgement.
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