A witness of the Federal Government on Friday, during the trial of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, testified that no weapon of terrorism or violence were recovered from the separatist leader during his arrest on October 15, 2015 in Lagos.
Kanu’s trial resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja under Justice James Omotosho with the cross-examination of principal witness.
Giving his evidence under the codename PWAAA, the witness admitted that most of the items that were retrieved from the hotel room were Kanu’s personal belongings, among which included materials for radio broadcast.
The operative who testified behind a protective shield, maintained that though the recovered items may not be ordinarily harmful, he said their intended usage by the defendant could be a source of problem.
At the previous sitting, the witness, led in evidence by the Federal Government’s counsel Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, told the court that he has been in service with the DSS for 18 years.
He also said he was assigned alongside other team members to arrest Kanu at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Lagos.
Among the witnesses’ evidence presented before the court was a video recording of Kanu’s interrogation by DSS officials, which played in the open court.
Kanu’s written statement made on October 15, 2015, at the DSS office was also read in the open court.
In the statement, Kanu admitted establishing Radio Biafra in London. He said the radio wasn’t registered in Nigeria because he knew he wouldn’t be issued a licence, and also because there was no need.
According to the statement, Kanu said he was interrogated by the DSS without his lawyer present, so he answered the questions asked him to the best of his ability.
The witness also stated that upon Kanu’s arrest, the items recovered from him were his personal property and radio equipment.
The DSS brought the items to court in four separate cases, which were displayed in the open court.
The suitcase contained the personal belongings of the defendant, especially the Biafra Radio equipment.
Items recovered from Kanu and admitted as exhibits includes, “1 Black laptop, 2 Multi mix transmitters, 1 Mini white Apple iPad with a pouch, 1 Grey Apple iPad with a pouch, 1 Grey MacBook with a pouch, 1 Grey MacBook with the case, 1 Mini drone sound wave speaker, 2 Mini white speakers, 1 large computer mouse, 1 White adaptor, 1 Laptop adaptor and1 Carton bag with laptop
Others are “2 3G modems, 2 Glo modems,1 Glo Hawaii modem, 1 MTN modem, 1 Etisalat modem, 1 Flash drive, 1 Camcorder, 1 Hand recorder in a black pouch, 1 MacBook Pro adaptor, 1 Mic stand, 1 Phillips headphone, 1 Radio Sharp mic with cord, 1 Pro sound mic with cord, 1 4G LTE modem, a bunch of cards, 1 Power adaptor for mixer, 1 Easy Blaze white modem, 1 Samsung phone,1 Black Motorola phone and1 Nokia phone, 1 Black Samsung phone, 1 Black phone, 1 D-Link black modem, 1 8GB flash drive, 1 Extension wire adaptor, 1 Pair of shoes, 1 Belt, 1 Pair of ciderwood sneakers, 1 Footwear, 1 Black Softech wristwatch, 2 Singlets, 1 Sealed Hermes perfume, 1 Trinket, 1 Pokham perfume, 1 Fredrick Peckham wristwatch, 1 Diesel wristwatch, 1 Alexander Christy collection wristwatch, 1 Club wristwatch and10 items altogether.
The rest are, “3 Bank MasterCards, Copies of documents, 1 Copy of IPOB complementary card, Documents tagged IPOB, 1 White clipper 1 Bottle of medicine, 1 Oman perfume, 2 Mini scented oils, 1 Empty black purse, 1 Nigerian passport bearing the names Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya Nnamdi Ngozichukwu and1 British passport bearing the name Okwu Kanu Nwannekaibeya, 1 Black purse, 1 Passport holder, 1 Card holder, 1 Box of Rocarden wristwatch and 4 Bundles of cords.
However, at the resumed trial on Friday, PWAAA, under cross-examination led by Kanu’s lead counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, told the court that there are other people working with Kanu in the secessionist agitation, naming Simon Ekpa.
Agabi asked the witness if there were other persons aside from the defendant being prosecuted over the agitation.
He admitted not knowing any person put on trial by the federal government on account of agitation from Biafran nation.
“I am aware that Simon Ekpa is arrested in a foreign country and the Nigerian government is in the process of extraditing him”.
Agabi again asked the witness if the defendant is charged with damaging any public property.
PWAAA responded: “What I know is that some of the charges relate to terrorism, which includes violence to achieve an aim or coerce the government”.
When the defence counsel asked if the defendant is being charged for violence, the witness said: “Not personally but remotely. I know there was a time the IPOB leader instructed people to attack government property,” the witness alleged.
He added that he doesn’t remember Kanu complaining of corruption in high places, unemployment among youths and tendering apologies.
PWAAA said Kanu has not shown remorse for the insulting remarks he made: “I don’t remember Kanu apologising for calling Nigeria a zoo,” he said.
The witness also said that he could not remember when Kanu described IPOB as a voluntary organisation that was not involved in carrying arms against the nation.
He admitted that there were killings in some parts of the country, especially in the North, but that the government has been doing its best to stem the tide of the killings.
The witness also said he would not know whether the killings were a result of self-determination agitation.
Speaking further, the witness told the court that although all the items recovered in the hotel room where Kanu was arrested were his personal property, which may not be perceived to be offensive ordinarily, the intention of the defendant may be.
PWAAA also told the court that he did not analyse any of the items because his mandate was to effect the arrest and obtain a statement from Kanu.
PWAAA, however, admitted to analysing the cell phone of Kanu, though the findings weren’t shared with the court.
The witness said that in the 10 years that the defendant’s items were impounded, they may have lost their value.
Speaking further, he admitted that Kanu’s statement was obtained without the presence of his lawyer.
The court adjourned to May 6, 7 and 8 for continuation of cross-examination as agreed by the parties in the suit.
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