Court fines AGF Malami for truncating trial of Kanu’s co-defendants

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, imposed a N200,000 fine on Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, for truncating the trial of four co-defendants of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on treasonable felony charges.

The judge ordered the AGF to pay each of the defendant N50,000 for inconveniences they suffered as a result of the absence of lead counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Shuaib Magaji Labaran.

Nyako, who was visibly angry at the way the trial was truncated, ordered that the money must be paid to the defendants before the adjourned date of March 17.

The four defendants are: Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudike, Benjamin Maduagwu and David Nwaurusi. They had, through their lawyers, complained bitterly on the hardship they suffered while trying to raise funds for their transportation to Abuja.

At yesterday’s proceedings, no legal representation came for the Federal Government at the time the matter was called.

However, as the judge was about to make an adjournment, one Mrs. Adewumi Aluko from the Federal Ministry of Justice came in and apologised that the Federal Government’s lead counsel was out of the country.

She announced that two witnesses were in court but would not want to proceed in the absence of the lead counsel and sought for an adjournment.

Her apology did not go down well with the judge, who counseled the Federal Government to be more serious in the trial of the defendants.

The judge also extended similar counsel to the defense lawyers, saying they should stop using frivolous applications to delay the trial, which started since 2015.

Meanwhile, Justice Nyako has fixed March 17 for resumption of the trial. There was heavy presence of security operatives around and within the court premises.