Court papers filed by the Kenyan Attorney-General have shown that the repatriation of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu to Nigeria was illegal.
This was disclosed by a brother to the detained IPOB leader, Kanunta Kanu, according to a statement issued by Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s special counsel.
The Kenyan government, according to the statement, has filed an affidavit stating that there was no immigration record of Kanu’s departure from Kenya after his last arrival on 12th May, 2021.
Kanunta stated that the affidavit is an official confirmation that the Nigerian government had contravened the provisions of the Kenyan, Nigerian constitutions and International law.
The statement reads: “In the latest Affidavit filed by the Kenyan government in defense of the suit filed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya, it asserted that there was no immigration record of Kanu’s departure from Kenya after his last arrival on 12th May, 2021.
“In the Affidavit “drawn up and filed” by the Attorney-General of Kenya and deposed to in Nairobi, Kenya on 10th February 2022, the Government of Kenya attached Kanu’s arrival and departure record from Kenya from 17th July 2019 to 12th May 2022 when he last entered Kenya.
“Paragraph 12 of the Affidavit stated “That it is evident from the schedule below that since 17/7/2019, the said Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Kenny Okwu-Kanu has visited and departed Kenya on several occasions”.
“Paragraph 13 of the Affidavit states “That from the above travel history, it is evident that his last arrival date was 12/5/2021 and there is no evidence exhibited to prove that he thereafter left the country”.
“Paragraph 14 of the Affidavit stated “That I am not privy to his (Kanu’s) arrest, detention or extradition”.
“It is pertinent to note that this Affidavit, having been “drawn up and filed” by the Attorney-General of Kenya is the clearest official confirmation yet from the government of Kenya that what happened to Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya amounts to crime, both in Nigeria, Kenya and under international law.
“With this latest development, Kanu’s ordeal in Kenya has turned a new corner where domestic and international criminal indictments will lie against the persons that directly or indirectly participated in this high crime. It has gone beyond extraordinary rendition.”
A 15-count terrorism charge was slammed on Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and asked the court to discharge and acquit him without standing trial because the charges were incurably defective and not worth being defended.
Kanu had last Tuesday filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the new charge as well as the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
According to the defendant, the fresh charge preferred against him were baseless, worthless, defective and could not stand the test of the law hence, should be dismissed.
Kanu made the submission through his lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, shortly after his re-arraignment and his not guilty plea.
Source: Sahara Reporters
