The scheduled trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in absentia at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has been stalled following the acknowledgment of Late Service of Hearing Notice.
Lawyer to sister case, Nnaemeka Ejiofor who appeared at today’s hearing said, the defense counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, Ifeanyi Ejiofor who was supposed to appear for the IPOB leader only received the hearing notice of the trial on November 24, making it impossible for him to meet up with the trial.
In the letter, Kanu’s lawyer explained that he got the information for the new date of Nov. 26 on Nov. 25, AUTHENTIC NEWS GIANT learnt.
Ejiofor said he had travelled out of Abuja, and could not make it back on time to attend court due to the short notice.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Shuaibu Labaran, however, objected to the letter noting that it was dated Nov 24th and not Nov 25th as claimed.
Labaran pointed out that there has been a deliberate attempt to frustrate the continuation of the case by the defence counsel.
He said that in the absence of the defence lawyer, the prosecution would be compelled to ask for an adjournment but with cost to the defendant.
Similarly, the court failed to proceed with the trial of four others who were separately charged alongside Nnamdi Kanu, following late service of hearing notices on the defendants who consequently could not make it to the court.
A hearing notice from the court scheduled the case for November 26 during which five prosecution witnesses were listed to testify against Kanu.
Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the two cases to January 27, 2021 for hearing, warning that the court would not entertain flimsy excuses on the next adjourned date.
Kanu is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony instituted against him in response to years of campaign for the Independent Republic of Biafra through IPOB.
