Court rejects Govt’s exhibits in Nnamdi Kanu’s terrorism trial

Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown away key exhibits tendered by the Federal Government to establish the terrorism charges brought against Biafra agitator, Nnamdi Kanu.

The exhibits are the statements dated October 21, 24 and November 4, 2015 made by Kanu to operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, during his interrogation sessions.

Also rejected by the judge are the video recordings of the statements by Kanu on the ground that they are inadmissible in evidence.

Justice Omotosho rejected the exhibits while delivering ruling on Thursday on the admissibility of the documents following allegations by Kanu that he made parts of the statements under duress.

The ruling followed the trial within trial conducted by the court to ascertain the veracity of Kanu’s allegations that he was coerced, molested and harassed to write what was dictated to him.

In the ruling, Justice Omotosho said that he had listened to both counsel for Kanu and the Federal Government and had gone through the evidence and concluded that the burden of proof of Kanu’s statements is on the prosecution to prove that confession was obtained voluntarily.

He said Kanu did not establish involuntariness in any way during his evidence.

The judge also said that the video showed that the statement was taken in a cordial environment and no sign of coercion was noticed contrary to Kanu’s allegations.

He however held that the court cannot close its eyes to the fact that Kanu was regularly complaining about the absence of his counsel during interrogation, especially when making statements.

Credit: dailypost.ng

 

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