The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out the appeal by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu on rights violation on grounds that it lacks merit and had become academic following his conviction for terrorism offences by the Federal High Court.
A three-member panel of the appellate court while delivering judgement held that Kanu’s claim that his fundamental rights to human dignity, right to quality health care and religion were being breached by his continued detention in the facility of the State Securty Services, was no longer feasible since his conviction, and sentence, in a judgement on November 20.
The appellate court held that the substance of the case has become academic, as Kanu’s lawyer, confirmed at the commencement of proceedings on Friday, that his client was being held in Sokoto Custodial Centre. The court therefore could no longer order him to be moved to Kuje Custodial Centre to which he had sought to be relocated from the SSS holding facility.
MUST READ: Jonathan accuses ousted Guinea Bissau President of stage-managed coup
Justice Boloukuromo Ugo, who gave the lead judgement also held that, having earlier exhibited preference for prison custody, the court could no longer grant his prayers since he has been convicted and sent to the prison where he had wanted to be kept.
Nnamdi Kanu had appealed against the July 3 judgement by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, now retired, which earlier dismissed his fundamental rights enforcement suit on the grounds that he failed to prove his case.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
