7 days ago
Court strike out video and written statement DSS obtain from Kanu under pressure
Justice James Omotosho of di Federal High Court Abuja don comot two video evidence and three written statements wey di Nigeria goment bin wan tender as evidence for di trial of Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu, di leader of Ipob, a secession group for Nigeria bin tell di court say im bin dey under duress wen e write di statements, and im lawyer bin no dey present.
For di last hearing, Justice Omotosho bin order a trial within trial to establish weda or not to admit di evidences.
Delivering im ruling for di proceeding on Thursday, Omotosho say di law provide say any accused pesin suppose get legal representation bifor e go make im statement.
Omotosho first tok say di video show say di atmosphere bin dey cordial wen Kanu bin dey make di statement, and e no see any sign of coercion or force.
"However, dis court no go close im eyes to di fact say di defendant bin complain regularly about di absence of im counsel," Omotosho tok.
According to di trial judge, section 15 of di Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) provide say di statement of a suspect must to be obtained for di presence of im counsel, and wia di suspect no get counsel, an officer of di legal aid council of Nigeria or a member of di civil society suppose dey present.
Omotosho say: "Even though di statement bin dey recorded on video, di fact say di lawyer of di defendant no dey present don make di statement inadmissible in evidence
"Dis court dey empowered to also expunge di video recordings wey e bin don admit in evidence. As e don dey established say di statement no dey admissible, it holds to law say di video recordings also no dey admissible."
"I hereby order as follows:
