The former counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, have vowed to challenge the verdict of the Federal High Court, Abuja, sentencing the separatist leader to life imprisonment.
Naijaonpoint had earlier reported that Justice James Omotosho, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced Kanu on all seven terrorism-related counts filed against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Omotosho, in his final ruling, imposed the following penalties:
Life imprisonment on Counts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6
20 years’ imprisonment on Count 3, without the option of a fine
Five years’ imprisonment on Count 7, also without the option of a fine
The judge further ruled that Kanu must not be detained in Kuje Prison, and ordered the forfeiture of his radio transmitter. The IPOB leader was also barred from accessing social media while in custody.
Ejimakor: ‘Kanu Was Sentenced For Words, Not Actions’
Reacting to the ruling, Kanu’s former counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, expressed strong dissatisfaction, describing the judgment as unjust.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, Ejimakor said, “The justice system sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for words and not incidents that he participated in.”
He argued that the broadcasts cited by the prosecution did not justify the severity of the punishment handed down by the court.
Ejimakor announced that the legal team would immediately proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge the conviction and sentencing.
He added that if the Court of Appeal does not overturn the verdict, the case would be taken to the Supreme Court.
Ejimakor said, “What kind of precedent is being laid here? We are heading to the Court of Appeal,” he said.
“The Court of Appeal is the only court in this country, or the next court in this country that sits as a jury. We are going to approach justices there to check out what happened in court today.
“And we are pretty sure the justices will agree with us that today was the symbol of the travesty of justice that everybody has been suspecting.
“If the Court of Appeal disagrees with us, we head to the Supreme Court. Nnamdi Kanu is not going to stand convicted. He’s going to get overturned.
“This is the only day I have witnessed a man being convicted for mere pronouncements, just for what he said from his mouth, not what he did with his own hands.
“The verdict is not consistent with the evidence laid before the court. The sentence is overbroad, cruel and unusual.
“How can you convict a man for making a mere broadcast from a location that was never named and he never tied that broadcast to any single incident of violence, or even someone slapping someone, not to talk of terrorism.”
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