Justice James Omotosho has sentenced the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on all seven counts of terrorism charges against him.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Omotosho noted that, “the convict has not acted well throughout the proceedings, stressing that he had caused unnecessary delay in the proceedings.
He further expressed that the court will not consider the contempt in court committed by the IPOB leader while delivering his verdict.
Omotosho said, “The court is only being merciful to Kanu because we are joined by our lord Jesus Christ to be merciful. Kanu has not shown any remorse; he is arrogant, cocky and unruly. I will temper justice with mercy.
Omotosho further quoted a bible verse saying, “Matthew Chapter 23 of the holy Bible in which it preaches mercy.”
Justice Omotosho pronounced other verdicts as follows: in respect to count 3, he sentenced Kanu to 20years imprisonment, for count 7 sentences he sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment with no option of fine for both.
The sentence shall run concurrently.
Omotosho said Kanu must be kept in a suitable facility as he has violent tendencies, which he also displayed in open court.
The judge further declared that the convict must not be allowed any digital devices, and if he must, it must be closely monitored by the National Security Adviser.
Meanwhile, Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, has vowed to challenge the life sentence handed to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.
Ejimakor spoke shortly after Justice James Omotosho sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment on counts one, four, five, and six, instead of a death sentence.
He also sentenced the IPOB leader to 20 years imprisonment on Count Three, and five years imprisonment on Count Seven, with no option of fine. He said the sentence shall run concurrently.
“We are heading to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal is the only court in this country that sits as a jury. We will ask the justices to check what happened today,” the lawyer said after the sentence.
Ejimakor described the judgment as “a symbol of the travesty of justice that everybody has suspected,” and argued that the conviction lacked a legal basis.