Detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu again refused to open his defence in the seven-count terrorism case against him, insisting that he has “no case to answer.” Representing himself after dismissing his lawyers, Kanu argued that there was no valid charge before the court and that the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act under which he was charged had been repealed. He maintained that trying him under a non-existent law violated his constitutional rights and demanded his immediate release from DSS custody.
The prosecution, led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, accused Kanu of deliberately delaying proceedings and urged the court to treat his filed documents as his final address. Justice James Omotosho ruled that Kanu’s filings were valid but warned that his right to defence would be foreclosed if he failed to proceed within the allotted time. The court adjourned to Wednesday for Kanu to either open his defence or forfeit the opportunity, after previously rejecting his no-case submission and his request to be discharged.
