Kanunta Kanu, brother to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, says members of the family and one of the defence lawyers have visited the IPOB leader at the Sokoto Medium Security Custodial Centre.
News360 Info reports that Kanu was last Thursday sentenced to life on counts one, two, four, five and six; 20 years without an option of fine on count three; and five years without an option of fine on count seven. The judge, however, directed that counts three and seven run concurrently.
Justice James Omotosho also ordered that the IPOB leader be kept in protective custody outside Kuje Correctional Centre and barred him from accessing digital devices unless strictly monitored by the Office of the National Security Adviser.
He directed that Kanu’s seized radio transmitter be forfeited to the Federal Government and noted that the DSS could file for forfeiture of other exhibits after the 90-day appeal window.
In a post on Sunday, Kanunta disclosed that Prince Emmanuel Kanu and Dr. Maxwell Opara met with Kanu.
According to Kanunta, the IPOB leader reiterated during the visit that his conviction was “baseless in law,” arguing that no Nigerian citizen can be convicted under a repealed statute.
“He stated that his final written address, anchored on the principle of fair hearing, was denied,” Kanunta wrote. “He also said the evidence relied upon by the court was neither included in the charge sheet nor formally admitted before the court.”
Kanu was said to have queried the court’s reliance on charges earlier struck out by Justice Binta Nyako in Abuja, describing it as a fundamental flaw.
Kanunta added that the IPOB leader identified “numerous errors” in the judgment and urged Nigerian judges, magistrates, and lawyers to “carefully scrutinise” the verdict in the interest of justice.
Kanu also reportedly questioned why earlier rulings in Umuahia, Enugu, the Court of Appeal, United Nations Working Group, and Supreme Court decisions, which held that the laws under which he was charged were repealed, were “ignored.”
“He commended all men and women of conscience who have spoken out against the injustice,” Kanunta noted. “He said he is a man who will reject injustice against anybody irrespective of tribe, faith or ethnic background.”
