From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has admitted in evidence, three videos including one where the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is seen inspecting a radio transmitter allegedly smuggled into the country.
The video clips were tendered during the trial -within-trial of Kanu who alleged that he made statements under duress, sometime in October and November 2015.
The Radio Biafra transmitter known as “Tram 50L” was kept at Ubuluisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State where he carried out an inspection.
The third prosecution witness (PW3), an operative of the Department of State Services(DSS), known as Mr CCC, dismissed claims that DSS used threats of solitary confinement to extract statements from the defendant.
Kanu had claimed that one Mr Brown, a DSS operative, made the threat about solitary confinement in the ‘dungeon.’
However, the prosecution witness clarified that the names of the officers who took part in the interview are: James, Ibrahim and Collins, with no Mr Brown among them.
He stated that Kanu was given presidential treatment and expressed shock at the allegations of using any form of force to get him to make certain statements including calling Presidents Jonathan and Buhari unprintable names, and also alleging that Senator Rochas Okorocha ‘Islamized’ his people.
These are statements he allegedly made when he granted an interview with a US-based online medium known as Sahara Reporters. It was during the same interview that, according to the witness, Kanu used the term ‘Zoo’ to refer to Nigeria.
The contentious items are three written statements made at the DSS Headquarters by Kanu on October 23, 24 and November 4, 2015. These statements along with video recording of his oral statements of October 21 and 23, 2015 were also tendered.
Justice James Omotosho took the path of trial within trial to clear the air on the admissibility or otherwise of the statements the defendant claims were gotten under duress.
The judge, in a ruling, said,’it is law that whenever an issue of involuntariness is raised, the Evidence Act and the law” requires that an order for trial within trial be made to determine whether a statement was taken under duress or otherwise.
Justice Omotosho added that establishing duress will therefore, make the statement in contention inadmissible.
He further informed parties in the case that at the end of the trial within trial, the Court would also rule on how the absence of the defendant’s lawyers affects the case of the defendant. In the three footage played in Court by the prosecution to prove that Nnamdi Kanu made his statements voluntarily, the Biafra nation agitator admitted to being the founder and director of Radio Biafra.
In one of the footage, Kanu claimed that the Biafra cause enjoys funding across the globe from all those who believe in the ideals of the secessionist agenda. He claimed the group has representatives in over 80 countries.
At some point during trial within trial, Nnamdi Kanu took the witness stand to give evidence in his case.
The defendant claimed, in his testimony, that he was struck by a DSS operative when he was picked up in Lagos in 2015. But the same operative later apologised on their way to the airport enroute to Abuja.
Meanwhile, Justice James Omotosho has adjourned the matter till today for continuation of the hearing and to deliver ruling on the admissibility of the statements.
Again, herdsmen attack couple in Imo community , kill husband, injure wife
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Herdsmen have attacked a couple from Amakohia-Ubi, Owerri West Local Government , Imo State, killing the husband while the wife escaped with bullet injury.
A source from the community, told our correspondent that the couple had gone to their farm on Tuesday, where they encountered the herders, who attacked them in company with some other farmers.
The herders were said to have shot the couple , while the bullet hit the man,other farmers scamper for safety in the bush
When his wife noticed that her husband was affected by the gunshot ,came back to check on him.
The herders were said to have shot her as well ,but she pretended to be dead and she was assumed to have died as the herdsmen left her in the pool of her own blood and ran away.
The woman on noticing that the headers were distance away from her, got up and fled into the bush, where she wondered with other farmers throughout the night and returned home on Wednesday morning.
“She told us that her husband died from the gunshot wound, and that she pretended as if she was dead. She said she was shot in the arms, but because of the way the blood was gushing out from her body, their attackers thought she had died”. The source said.
The incident happened barely one week after herders attacked the community in broad day light after the farmers and vigilantes banned them from grazing in their farms.
They were said to have resurfaced later at about 6 pm same day to attack the community.
According to a village source,an indigene was hit by a stray bullet during the melee.