The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has adjourned proceedings in the ongoing criminal trial of Nnamdi Kanu pending a ruling on the admissibility of extra-judicial statements tendered by the Federal Government.
The proceedings are before James Omotosho, who ordered a trial-within-a-trial to determine whether the statements attributed to the defendant were made voluntarily while in custody.
During the trial-within-a-trial, defence counsel led by Paul Erokoro, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the statements, alleging that they were obtained under duress during the defendant’s detention by the Department of State Services. The defence further challenged the integrity of video materials tendered by the prosecution, contending that they had been edited.
In response, counsel to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Suraj Saida, SAN, opposed the objections and called a witness from the Department of State Services. The witness denied allegations of coercion and testified that the defendant was treated in accordance with due process and that the statements were made voluntarily.
After the conclusion of evidence and submissions by both parties in the trial-within-a-trial, Justice Omotosho stood down the substantive proceedings to consider the arguments and reserved the matter for ruling on the admissibility of the disputed statements.
What Next:
– Court to deliver a ruling on the admissibility of the extra-judicial statements.
– Substantive trial to proceed in line with the court’s ruling.
