The Federal High Court (FHC) has described a viral social media report that the new judge assigned to adjudicate the case against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has stepped down as false and misleading.
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In the viral report titled: “New Judge Steps Down from Nnamdi Kanu’s Case, Says His Arrest Was Wrong,” it was alleged that Justice John Tsoho, who is the Chief Judge (CJ) of the FHC, is the new judge.
The report reads in part: “Justice John Tsoho, the new judge assigned to Nnamdi Kanu’s case, has quit.
“He said Kanu was brought back to Nigeria from Kenya illegally, and because of that, he can’t judge the case without going against his own beliefs.”
However, the FHC, in a statement signed by the Chief Registrar, Sulaiman Hassan, said the claim was “entirely unfounded, fictitious, grossly mischievous, damaging in intent, and should be disregarded in its entirety.”
“The attention of the management of the Federal High Court has been drawn, with great concern, to an online reportage as above captioned.
“The court unequivocally refutes the false and misleading report, alleging that the Honourable Chief Judge, Hon. Justice John T. Tsoho, OFR, has stepped down from Nnamdi Kanu’s case and made statements regarding the legality of his arrest.”
According to Hassan, the true position is that Honourable Justice Tsoho, in his capacity as Chief Judge, has reassigned Nnamdi Kanu’s case from Honourable Justice Binta Nyako to another (‘new’) judge.
“The report referred to is, therefore, totally spurious.
“The defense team should hence prepare to receive instructions regarding the case, as may be issued by the new judge.
“The Federal High Court strongly cautions against deliberate misinformation to mislead the public and erode confidence in the judicial system.
“We urge the general public to be wary and rely only on verified information from official court sources.
“The court remains steadfast in upholding justice through due process of the law,” he said.
The case between the Federal Government and Kanu had been reassigned to Justice James Omotosho following Justice Nyako’s recusal (withdrawal).
Kanu’s defense counsel, Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, had in a statement on Saturday revealed that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja had reassigned the trial of his client to a new judge.
The IPOB leader is facing a seven-count charge of treasonable felony brought against him by the Federal Government.
He was initially arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako before he asked the judge to recuse herself from the case.
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