A former member of the defence team of the convicted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Barr Maxwell Okpara has condemned Kanu’s life sentence, branding it “the highest injustice any other person can suffer.”
He stated this on Friday, a day after a Federal High Court in Abuja, convicted Kanu of all charges.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS, Okpara outlined what he described as glaring lapses in the trial, insisting that the proceedings were politically charged and fundamentally flawed.
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He argued that Kanu was denied the opportunity to file his final written address, a critical component of criminal trials while the court admitted questionable evidence and allegedly failed to assess exhibits favourable to the defence.
“He was enjoying his bail. The government went to his house in Faruku and killed 38 persons and left with 13 corpses. As we speak, he lost his parents,” Okpara said, insisting that contrary to the prosecution’s narrative, Kanu never absconded.
He referenced a United Nations report which he said affirmed that Kanu neither jumped bail nor exhorted the police, adding that the international body recommended his release and compensation.
Okpara accused the court of relying heavily on a video clip tendered by the prosecution while overlooking 34 defence exhibits, including Kanu’s tablet and payphone.
“The court failed to evaluate several exhibits, especially those favourable to the defence,” he said.
He also addressed misconceptions surrounding Kanu’s legal team, noting that they were not sacked but withdrew on their own volition. Beyond procedural complaints, Okpara hinted at ethnic prejudice, alleging that the judgement “would not have been delivered against any other tribe in Nigeria.”
While urging calm, he stressed that Kanu had already directed supporters to end the sit-at-home order but maintained that his “lawful agitation must continue until justice is served.”
However, Okpara said his team would file an appeal by Monday or Tuesday, urging the Court of Appeal to review the entire proceedings and determine whether the judgement was delivered in accordance with criminal procedure.