Judge withdraws from IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu’s trial

Nigeria: The judge handling the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Justice John Tsoho, has returned the case file of Nnamdi Kanu to the Chief Justice of Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta, for reassignment.


This comes after Kanu's legal team led by Chuks-Muoma filed an application claiming that the court was biased in its handling of their client’s trial over treason charges brought against him by the federal government of Nigeria for leading a separatist group.

“We are only asking the court to hands off; my client has lost confidence in this court,” Muoma said.

Tsoho becomes the second judge to step down from Kanu's case since he was detained in October 2015. The first judge being Ahmed Mohammed, who stepped down in December 2015, after Kanu said he had no confidence in him.

Muoma claimed that the court was acting in line with President Muhammadu Buhari's suggestion that Kanu should not be released under any circumstance.

The counsel said that if they don't get the relief they sought, they would proceed to the International Court of Justice.

Muoma said any further proceedings in the case, following the claim that a petition was written to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to protest against the court, would “stifle it”.

“I understand that there is a letter to NJC, though I haven’t seen it and the CJ has replied saying that the matter will be investigated,” he said.

“I would urge you that you transfer the matter; I would suggest that it be sent back to the CJ.”

Responding to the claims, the judge said:

“I have no interest in trying your matter and I will return it to the CJ, but I will condemn the attitude of that counsel. I do not care if you take your case to another planet.”

Muoma said making a ruling on the said application was an attempt to “pre-empt” the outcome of the petition sent by Kanu’s lawyers to the CJ.

However, the judge who prevented the prosecuting counsel from speaking, in a ruling said: “This case is hereby transferred to the CJ.”