The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has pleaded not guilty to the amended 15-count charge of treasonable felony preferred against him by the federal government.
When the charges were read to him on Wednesday during the trial, the IPOB leader, through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, told the trial Judge, Justice Binta Nyako that the amended 15-count charge was unmeritorious and should be thrown out by the court.
The senior lawyer urged the court not to waste its judicial time on the matter because the charges were watery.
Earlier, the counsel to the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF), Shuaibu Labaran, told the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment of Kanu and prayed the court to allow the defendant take his plea.
After the 15 counts were read to the IPOB leader and he pleaded not guilty, Labaran said the prosecution was ready for trial as two witnesses were already in court.
But Ozekhome objected to the request that the trial should commence. He argued that a preliminary objection, asking the court to quash the charges had been filed after studying the charges.
He said the whole counts were incompetent and could not stand the test of time.
The lawyer, who argued that the case was already dead on arrival, argued that the defence motion should be taken before commencing the trial in order not to waste the judicial time of the court.
Justice Nyako fixed Feb. 16 for hearing the preliminary objection.
Kanu was arrested on Oct. 14, 2015 and slammed with an 11 count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society, publication of defamatory matter, illegal possession of firearms and improper importation of goods, among others.
A judge at the Federal High Court, Abuja revoked Kanu’s bail that was granted him on health ground and issued a bench warrant for his arrest on the same date, over his failure to appear in court for hearing.
He has, upon jumping bail, been accused of engaging in subversive activities that include inciting violence through television, radio and online broadcasts against Nigeria and Nigerian State and institutions.
Kanu was also accused of instigating violence especially in the Southeastern Nigeria that resulted in the loss of lives and property of civilians, military, para military, police forces and destruction of civil institutions and symbols of authorities
