Omotosho: What Are You Trying To Establish That Nnamdi Kanu Is An International Terrorist? -Opara

In an interview on Symfoni TV, legal practitioner Maxwell Opara criticized Justice Kolawole Omotosho over his handling of the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Opara raised concerns about procedural irregularities that, he said, undermined Kanu’s right to a fair trial.

Opara noted that Kanu, who represented himself during the trial, was denied the opportunity to file a final written address, a fundamental right in criminal cases, especially those involving capital punishment. He said the judge’s rush to judgment meant several critical motions, pieces of evidence, and statements were not properly addressed, potentially affecting the outcome.

He also criticized how evidence and witness credibility were handled. Some statements and exhibits were referenced in the judgment without proper evaluation, while pre-objection motions filed by Kanu were mentioned even though they were not formally considered during the trial. According to Opara, these lapses reflected a lack of thoroughness and judicial fairness.

Opara further questioned the inclusion of international terrorism claims in the judgment. References to incidents involving American and British interests, including alleged attacks on embassies, were not supported by evidence during the trial, yet appeared in the judgment. He suggested that this might have been done to gain external validation rather than strictly following the law.

He warned that even a strong case can fail if handled from the wrong angle and emphasized that any doubt in a criminal trial should be resolved in favor of the accused.

He said, “What are you trying to establish? You want to establish before America that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is an international terrorist. What are you trying to establish in your own judgement. Nobody even mentioned it during the course of trial. Nobody even talked about America or this. My Lord intentionally brought it in so that America and Britain can clap for him that yes, he has convicted somebody that wanted to bomb our embassy.”

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