Appeal Court rejects FG’s request for adjournment over to stay judgment on Nnamdi Kanu’s discharge
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday refused to grant the request of the Federal Government for adjournment in an application seeking to stay the execution of the judgment that quashed the terrorism charges against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The Court gave the Federal Government till noon today to move its application or forget it.
The Federal Government lawyer, Mr David Kaswe, at today’s proceedings complained that he was served with a counter affidavit by Kanu’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN since last Friday.
Kaswe however claimed that a list of one additional authority was served on him this morning and that he needed an adjournment to react.
Ozekhome, however, objected to the request on the ground that only one additional authority was served and the Federal Government should have no excuse to seek adjournment because of only one authority.
Ozekhome claimed that since October 13, when the Court of Appeal ordered the release of Kanu, the Federal Government had not obeyed the order.
He reminded the court that the liberty of personal freedom of his client was being trampled upon and urged the court to reject the request for any adjournment.
In a brief ruling, Presiding Justice Haruna Tsanami agreed that the appeal has to do with fundamental human rights and deserves urgency.
Justice Tsanami subsequently gave the Federal Government till noon to move its application for the stay of execution of the judgment and to respond to the fresh authority cited by Kanu’s legal team.
Meanwhile, the three-man justices of the Court of Appeal who gave a ruling that discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu have been transferred from their various divisions.
The three appellate court justices were transferred four days after they delivered the judgment on Kanu, Vanguard reports.
It was learnt that while the presiding judge, Justice Jummai Hanatu Sankey, who was in the Gombe Division of the court was transferred to Awka Division, Justice Oludotun Adetope-Okojie who delivered the lead judgment, was moved to Owerri and Justice Ebiowei Tobi was transferred to Gombe Division.
The transfer of the justices is reportedly contained in a memo dated October 17, which was signed by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.
The memo stressed that the new posting for the justices was with immediate effect as they were expected to report to their new stations by October 21.
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