Legal representatives of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), are set to seek his release on bail next Monday, pending the resolution of his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to court documents obtained by Vanguard on Friday, the proposed bail request is grounded on “life-threatening medical conditions,” specifically citing heart ailment, hypertension, and potassium deficiency.
Kanu has been held in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021 following his extradition from Kenya. Initially facing charges including terrorism, among others, Kanu was later acquitted by the Appeal Court. However, in December 2023, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, sending the case back to the Abuja Federal High Court for further proceedings.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled February 26 for the continuation of Kanu’s terrorism trial.
Reports indicate that Kanu’s legal team will argue for bail on grounds of his lack of privacy during consultations with his legal counsel, which they claim infringed upon his constitutional right to counsel and hampered the preparation of his defense.
Furthermore, they will assert that Kanu has already spent over four years in pretrial detention.
In a Motion on Notice filed pursuant to relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the legal team will petition the court for “an order admitting the Applicant/Defendant to bail pending the determination of his trial” and any other appropriate orders.
In an affidavit submitted by Prince Emmanuel Kanu, a relative of the defendant, it is stated that Kanu, while in detention, conveyed his consent for the affidavit.
The document outlines Kanu’s reported medical conditions and asserts the necessity for bail on liberal terms.
The legal team is set to present their arguments before the court on Monday, seeking relief for Kanu amidst ongoing legal proceedings.
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