The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, indicated that he might seek an out-of-court settlement in the treasonable felony charge brought against him by the Federal Government.
At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to the detained IPOB leader, Aloy Ejimakor, informed the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, of the discussion with the prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, that the defence wants the case settled out of court.
Awomolo, in his response, said that it is not in his place to seek an out-of-court settlement in the matter, adding that if the defence wants the matter settled out of court, he should approach the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, who has the power to approach the court for an out-of-court settlement.
However, Justice Nyako said that the defense could approach the AGF, and if he approves the request, the court would then be notified.
Ejimakor told newsmen after the proceedings that Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act allows moves for reconciliation between parties in both civil and criminal proceedings.
A member of the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato South and North Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House, and who witnessed the proceedings, said that he was pleased with the move for an out-of-court settlement in the matter. He noted that the matter has reached where national interest should be put into consideration.
Earlier, the court had dismissed an application by the IPOB leader challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear and determine the charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.
It would be recalled that the court, at the last proceedings, dismissed Kanu’s application for the restoration of his revoked bail, as well as the request for his transfer from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to a house arrest or prison custody.
Justice Nyako, while ruling on the application, held that the same request had been brought before her by Kanu, which was dismissed for want of merit.
The trial judge said that she found, as a fact, that Kanu jumped bail earlier granted to him, and escaped out of the country. She added that the sureties who stood for him in the earlier bail had applied to be discharged, which was granted on the ground that they could not locate Kanu and did not know his whereabouts.
Justice Nyako said that the only option left for Kanu was to approach the Court of Appeal to exercise his right of appeal.
Ejimakor, however, said that an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court confirmed that Kanu never jumped bail; hence, the bail granted to him earlier by the appellate court ought to have been upheld and not revoked.
