By Chima Onyekachi
September 29, 2016

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, addressed those in the court room after Justice John Tsoho, disqualified himself from presiding over the spurious criminal matter against him. He spoke as thus “What we are fighting against is corruption.” “Wherever we see corruption, we fight corruption; it doesn’t matter who is involved” Once there is corruption we fight it.”

Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was the judge presiding over the spurious criminal charges bordering on treasonable felony among others filed against Nnamdi Kanu by the Secret Security Service (SSS). Nnamdi Kanu was arrested by the SSS on October 14 2016 and was detained for over two months without trial. He has severally been granted bail by both the Magistrate and the Federal High Court. The bail order that granted he should be released unconditionally was not obeyed by the Nigeria government. President Muhammadu Buhari, in his maiden presidential media chat berated the judges for their rulings and declared that Nnamdi Kanu will not be released despite the subsisting court orders, therefore displaying executive interference in judicial affairs.

Then, a fresh concocted charges of treasonable felony, maintaining an unlawful society and concealing items in a container, among others was filed against Nnamdi Kanu in the same Federal High Court that granted him bail unconditionally. The charges were filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and signed by the federal Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Diri. The other two persons jointly accused in the charges are Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

Without recourse to the disobedience of earlier court orders by the Nigeria government, Justice John Tsoho, denied the application for bail brought before him by counsel to Nnamdi Kanu. Justice Tsoho delivered a ruling allowing an open trial of the case brought by the state prosecutor but reneged on his ruling on the slated date of hearing, he made a bold case and vacated that order upon an oral application by the state prosecutor, which is unheard of. The state prosecutor should have appealed the ruling in a law court which is what is obtainable in the law of practice. It was very obvious that Justice Tsoho allowed himself to be manipulated by higher authorities in the executive arm of government. Under pressure from the defense counsels of the accused and co-accused for lack of confidence in him, Justice Tsoho buckled and disqualified himself as judge over the matter citing the petition against him sent to the Nigeria Judicial Council by the defense team of Nnamdi Kanu.

The withdrawal of Justice John Tsoho from the matter will enable the case to be sent back to the NJC for re-assignment to another judge, which is another chance for the Nigeria Judiciary to redeem itself from the grips of tyranny. The next judge assigned to the case must be upright and shun favoritism, he must make sure that previous court rulings be duly obeyed by the Nigeria government. Lest I forget, Justice Tsoho should be sacked to serve as a deterrent to judges engaging in the corruption of the Nigeria judicial system.

Mr.Chima Onyekachi writes for BiafraPost
Editor/Publisher: Akachukwu Udo
For Biafra Reporters
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