Again, Kanu Denied Bail

By Uche Mbah

A fresh application for bail has been denied the leader of the indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Kanu, who has been standing trial for terrorism related offences, has applied for bail pending the determination of the substantive suit.

This is not the first time he will be denied bail. The court had on March 18, declined to release the embattled Kanu who is currently facing a seven count charge.

The IPOB leader had filed an application through his team of lawyers led by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, asking the court to set aside the March 28 2019 order that gave a fillip for his trial in absentia.

Dismissing the bail request, Justice Binta Nyako, said she’s  not satisfied with the reason Kanu gave for absenting himself from court when he was in self exile.

Citing court records Justice Nyako said Kanu had legal representation on the day his bail was revoked.

“In fact, his sureties told the court that they did not know the whereabout of the Defendant and even applied to be discharged from the matter.

“Therefore, the Defendant was not denied fair hearing,” the judge said.

Nyako held that whereas a court had the onus to vacate a previous order if confronted with a cogent and verifiable reason, “in the instant case, I have not been given any, neither have I been given any reason to set-aside the order.

“The present application amounts to an abuse of court process for attempting to relitigate an issue already decided by the court.

“If the Defendant is dissatisfaction, he has the Appeal Court to go to.

“This application is accordingly dismissed”, Nyako held.

She said Kanu must provide genuine reasons why the previous bail condition was breached.

“Until the issue of the absence of the defendant for his trial, with all the bail conditions breached, is determined, the instant application of the defendant for bail will at best be premature and it is refused.

“However, the defendant is at liberty to re-file the application”, Justice Nyako said.