The
Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court to
deny a bail application by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra,
Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr.
Kanu is facing treason charges, alongside two others, Benjamin Madubgwu and
James Nwawuisi, at the Federal High Court Abuja.
Mr.
Kanu had on May 5 approached the appeal court through his counsel, Chucks
Muoma, challenging the decision of the Federal High Court to deny him bail.
Mr.
Muoma had asked the court to determine whether the ruling by Justice John Tsoho
of the Federal High Court was not an aberration of Mr. Kanu’s fundamental
rights as stipulated in the Constitution.
Mr.
Muoma also prayed the Appeal Court to determine whether or not Mr. Tsoho was
right in making Mr. Kanu’s dual citizenship an excuse for refusing him bail.
According
to Mr. Muoma, the ruling was granted as though it was the first appellant alone
that made the application for bail.
In
its ruling however, a three member-panel, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, held that
the lower court was right in relying upon Mr. Kanu’s dual citizenship, as a
basis for denying his application for bail.
The
court said the chances of Mr. Kanu returning to his other country was high, and
that the laws of his other country may prevent the trial from reaching its
logical end.
The
court also ruled that the charge against Mr. Kanu and the other defendants was
grievous and involved a threat to the state, therefore an application for bail
would not be entertained.
Mr.
Aboki also stated that the Federal High Court acted within its jurisdiction in
the said ruling, and hence affirmed the ruling of the court.
-Premium Times
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