"A court in Nigeria on Thursday convicted Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of a separatist group, on charges related to terrorism. Kanu founded the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatist group that called for independence from Nigeria. "His intention was quite clear as he believed in violence. These threats of violence were nothing but terrorist acts," judge James Omotosho said at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The conviction came after a long-running trial, with the case going back to comments made in 2015."
"Kanu was not in the courtroom when the judge read out his ruling, having thrown him out for what he described as unruly behavior. The separatist leader had dismissed his lawyers and refused to call defense witnesses, claiming there were no charges against him. He claimed the court did not have jurisdiction to try him. Judge Omotosho said Kanu boasted that "no court can convict him," which he described as "a direct affront on the power of the courts.""
Nnamdi Kanu was convicted by a Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges tied to comments dating to 2015. The judge concluded Kanu intended violence and described those threats as terrorist acts. Kanu was expelled from the courtroom for unruly behavior after dismissing his lawyers and refusing to call defense witnesses, while contesting the court's jurisdiction. The court noted Kanu had boasted that "no court can convict him," calling that a direct affront to judicial authority. IPOB has been accused of violently enforcing sit-at-home protests that caused major economic losses and many deaths, and prosecutors sought the death penalty.
Read at www.dw.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]