DSS accuses Biafra radio director, Kanu, of terrorism
The Department of State Services (DSS)
yesterday told a Senior Magistrate Court in Abuja
that the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu,
charged with criminal conspiracy was also
involved in terrorism and financing of the
criminal act.
At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Mr.
Moses Idakwo, told the court they stumbled on
fresh facts showing that Kanu was involved in
terrorism and financing of same.
He said the new offences allegedly committed
by Kanu had stripped the magistrate court of
jurisdiction.
Accordingly, Idakwo applied to the court to strike
out the charge it had preferred against the
accused to enable DSS charge him to a court
with requisite jurisdiction to try him for terrorism.
Kanu is standing trial before the said magistrate
court on a three-count charge of criminal
conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to
unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Addressing the court, the prosecution counsel
stated that “the complainant found out that the
accused was involved in terrorism and has been
financing it. The complainant is, therefore,
applying to discontinue the matter under section
108
(1)of Administration of Criminal Justice Act
2015.’’
Idakwo said the DSS had also obtained an order
from the Federal High Court, Abuja, dated
November 10 to detain the accused in its
custody for 90 days.
Kanu’s counsel, Vincent Obetta, opposed the
application for discontinuance on the argument
that the prosecution did not present any
information from the Attorney-General of the
Federation who has the authority to approve
such.
Obetta told the court that the DSS violated the
order of the court which granted his client bail
by not allowing him the benefit as he has been
languishing in custody of the security agency
since he was arrested.
After taking submissions of the parties, the
magistrate, Mr. Usman Shuabu, reserver his
ruling for December 1, 2015.
While the court sat on Kanu’s case yesterday, his
supporters staged a protest in Abuja to press for
release of their leader.
Before the Abuja’s protest, the protesters had
since Kanu’s arrest in October embarked on
widespread protests at Nigerian embassies in
some foreign countries as well as South -South
and South East states.
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