American Igbo Group Alleges Constitutional Breach in Kanu’s Trial
…Calls for International Watch
Diasporal Igbo organisation, the American Veterans of Igbo Descent AVID, has condemned in its entirety what it described as continuing judicial travesty unfolding before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja in the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB.
A statement signed by AVID’s President, Chief Sylvester Onyia explained that “Nigerian’s 1999 Constitution as amended remains clear under section 36(12) that no person shall be tried for any criminal offense unless that offense and its penalty is defined in a written law”.
The statement noted that it is a non -derogable constitutional safeguard ,a cornerstone of due process and a measure of any civilized nation’s commitment to justice. . . . It regretd that “before the world and under Justice Omotosho’s watch the Nigerian state persists in trying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu” under what it described as a dead law, the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013 which ceased to exist upon the enactment of Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
It noted that Justice Omotosho under mandatory duty of Judicial notice under section 122(2)(a)of the Evidence Act had refused to acknowledge the repeal describing it as a dereliction of constitutional duty.
According to the statement by AVID,Justice Omotosho’s posture of “wait till judgement” on question of jurisdiction, double jeopardy and validity of charge “is opposite of established precedents of Supreme Court of Nigeria” emphasizing that jurisdictional defect strike at the root of a case and must be determined forthwith and not differed. AVID also lamented alleged snobbing and mistreatment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu while in court and called on the International community including United Nations Human Rights Council,the US Department of States and the International Criminal Court ICC to closely monitor and document all the alleged ongoing judicial abuses in Nigeria noting that the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in its present form was not just a judicial aberration but an affront to international Human Right standard on fair trial and rule of law.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication with Second Class(Upper Division) at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
