A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday struck out a six-count amended charge brought against the acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The prosecutor, the Federal Government, had introduced the amended charges at Wednesday’s hearing.
But the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako threw out the fresh charges following its withdrawal by counsel to the Federal Government, Adamu Kaatu.
The counsel cited the need to open the trial of Kanu after years of delay as the reason for withdrawing the new charges.
The trial could not be opened with a pending amended charge.
Desperate that witnesses be called to give evidence against the IPOB leader, the prosecutor hurriedly applied for the withdrawal which was unopposed by counsel to the defendant, Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
In a brief ruling, Justice Nyako struck out the amended charges to pave the way for the Federal Government to open its case against Mazi Kanu.
Justice Nyako had earlier denied a bail application by Kanu.
The judge held that the IPOB leader must first determine the reason he jumped bail in 2017 before he could apply for a new one.
