Buhari must stop making comments on matters before the court – Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer
– Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer said the recent comment by the president in Kastina state can influence court judgements
– The lawyer called on the president to stop making comments that can influence the decision of judges on issues before the court
– He also said that the charges discharged before the Magistrate Court and further taken to the Federal High Court is an indication that Nigerian government plans to make Kanu a perpetual prisoner
Buhari has blasted Nnamdi Kanu the leader Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for calling for the separation of Nigeria
A lawyer to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of keeping his client as a political prisoner.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor had at a press briefing said that the presidential media chat held by the presidency last year is a clear indication of his allegations.
Ejiofor advised President Buhari to desist from making pronouncements that may be prejudicial.
He also called on the president to steer clear from influencing decisions made by the judges in the court of law.
“Nnamdi Kanu is a political prisoner, and this was confirmed in the presidential media chat,” Ejiofor said at the briefing.
“The pronouncements of the president is affecting the decision of the court. We consider the pronouncements prejudicial.
“The president should not be making pronouncements that are indirectly influencing the decision of the judges,” he said.
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But speaking exclusively to NAIJ.com, Ejiofor cautioned the president from making comments on matters that are before the courts.
“A few days ago, when he went to Kastina state, the president also talked on whether Nnamdi Kanu should be granted bail or not, that is suggestive,” Ejiofor told NAIJ.com.
“Now let me say this to you, you know by virtue of the highlights and apparent direction in the presidential media chat of December 18, 2015, the comments that so and so person cannot be released on bail because of the fact that he was arrested with two passports.
“So based on that the officers on the matter was indirectly influenced by that pronouncement, in such a way that on the day the ruling was delivered on the application for the bail, the judge made a reference to that fact that he came in with two passports.
“Apparently referring to the same direction expressed in the media chat. By virtue of this the president has influenced the decision of the court,” he said.
He added that the pronouncement by the president is intentionally engineered towards influencing judgements made by judges on certain matter.
“That is why we say everybody should refrain from commenting on a matter before the court especially someone either in his place or his position, you know he is the commander in chief and once he says certain things, he passes a signal and message to people involved even without a formal directive. Having submitted to judicial process he should allow them to handle the matter dispassionately,” Kanu’s lawyer said.
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On the charges dropped by the magistrate court on December 16, 2015 and brought back to the Federal High Court Ejiofor said the federal government is only intent on perpetually incarcerating his client.
“Let us understand that the matter is politically influenced. The charge against him before the magistrate court was dismissed before they were served an order to release him (Kanu) unconditionally and all what not,” he said.
“Instead of compiling with the order of the court that he should be released unconditionally, they now added the charge of treasonable felony at the Federal High court to the same charges dismissed by the magistrate court.
“The essence of that is to ensure that he is perpetually kept in custody, and to have a defence not to release him as directed by the court, we will address all these issues,” he added.
The post Buhari must stop making comments on matters before the court – Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM (Nigerian newspapers).