The Federal High Court Abuja has fixed Jan. 27 for continuation of the trial of leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The matter was fixed for hearing on Nov. 26, but when it was called, both Kanu and his counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor were absent in court.
It was learnt that Mr E. Ejiofor, a lawyer in a sister case, told the court that Kanu’s lawyer had asked him to draw the attention of the court to a letter he wrote explaining why he was absent in court.
Kanu’s lawyer, in the letter, explained that he got the information for the new date of Nov. 26 on Nov. 25.
He stated that he had travelled out of Abuja, and would not be able to return immediately to attend court proceedings because of the short notice.
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Mr Shuaibu Labaran, the prosecuting counsel, however, raised an objection to the letter saying it was dated Nov. 24, meanwhile the lawyer said he got information about the new date on Nov. 25.
Labaran added that there has been a consistent and deliberate attempt to frustrate the continuation of the case by the defence counsel.
According to him, in the absence of the defence lawyer, the prosecution would be compelled to ask for an adjournment but with cost to the defendant.
The matter was adjourned until Jan. 27 by trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, who said that it would go on even if the defence counsel was absent on that date.
Justice Nyako also said that cost would be determined at the end of the trial.
