In the ongoing terrorism trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, he pointed out that his statements, which were tendered as evidence at today’s hearing, were obtained under duress.
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Kanu, through his lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN), made this claim when Mr CCC, a 27-year-old DSS officer, who is the third witness of the prosecution, tendered into evidence three written statements and two CDs obtained from Kanu in 2015. It was at this point that Kanu contested the admissibility of the statements, which he claimed were obtained under duress.
Justice James Kolawole Omotosho, who is the presiding judge, then ordered a Trial within Trial (TWT).
During the trial within the trial, Mr CCC noted that the claims by Kanu that he was kept in a dungeon and was coerced into writing a statement are false.
However, when Kanu took to the witness dock, he maintained that he wrote the statements in the absence of his lawyers, under duress and was coerced to do so.
He noted that the coercion started from Lagos when he was being transported to Abuja. He claimed that he was chained and blindfolded and even struck by one of the officers transporting him.
Kanu said that upon arrival in Abuja, he was taken to an underground prison, where the lighting was horrible and very dim. He also stated that Mr Brown, who was the investigating officer, had threatened him, saying he would remain in the dungeon and not get the one-hour fresh air break that was recommended by a DSS doctor, which was a result of the nosebleed he experienced.
Justice Omotosho then asked parties to adopt their written addresses and ensure that they filed them before 9 am today, as he would be ruling on the admissibility of the contested statements today, Thursday.
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