By Deborah Onyofufeke, Abuja
The Supreme Court yesterday permitted the Federal Government to file nine fresh grounds of appeal to oppose the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
A five-member panel of the court led by Justice John Okoro, while ruling on a motion for leave granted the Federal Government’s request.
The Supreme Court granted FG’s request to include the fresh grounds in its amended notice of appeal dated October 28, 2022.
The ruling followed an application that was moved by FG’s lawyer, Mr Tijani Gadzali (SAN), who also requested an adjournment from the panel to respond to Kanu’s request to be transferred from the detention facility of the Department of State Services, DSS, to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Gazzali told the court that he would need time to file a counter-affidavit to oppose Kanu’s request.
Consequently, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Inyang Okoro adjourned the case till May 11 for a definite hearing.
It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal in Abuja had in a judgement it delivered on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s release from detention.
In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court equally quashed a 15-count terrorism charge that FG entered against the detained IPOB leader, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court said it was satisfied that FG flagrantly violated all known laws when it forcefully rendered Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial.
