- Safiu Kehinde
Abia State lawmaker, Hon. Obi Aguocha, has pleaded for clemency for embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, following his conviction on the terrorism charge filed against him before the Abuja Federal High Court.
NPO earlier Reported that the presiding judge over the trial, Justice James Omotosho, had found Kanu guilty of all the seven counts contained in the charge.
Following the analysis of each count, Omotosho in his judgement at the court on Thursday convicted the IPOB leader of all the counts.
However, the judge, having earlier ordered Kanu out of the court over his misconduct, requested for any allocution from his consultant, Ejimakor Alloy, before his sentencing which, according to Justice Omotosho may be a death sentence.
“Since his consultant is here, and the offence has to do with death sentence, I will call his consultant that was his lawyer before he converted him to consultant if he has any allocution to make on his behalf.
“Mr. Ejimakor, do you have any allocution to make on his behalf?” Justice Omotosho asked.
In response, Ejiamkor transferred the judge’s request to Aguocha who solicited for mercy and clemency for Kanu.
The House of Representatives member disclosed that the IPOB leader is his childhood friend as they went to the same primary and secondary school.
“Thank you, my Lord. My name is Right Honourable Obi Aguocha. I represent the good people of Ikuwano, Umahia North and Umahia South Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly.
“My Lord, I am the direct representative of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. That is why you see me here almost every time, showing presence and also showing solidarity with him.
“The matter has come to a closure for now. I’m not his lawyer. I wouldn’t know whether they will seek appeal. But for now, my Lord, he is my brother, he is my friend.
“I went to school with him. We attended primary and secondary school together- though he was my junior.
“It is my responsibility and obligation as a member of the National Assembly to represent him as well.
“My Lord, I plead for mercy. I plead for clemency, and I appeal for peace for the stability of not just the Southeast but as well as Nigeria.” He said.
Aguocha noted that there are others who are committing worse crimes than Kanu as he appealed to the judge to tamper justice with mercy.
“Like the prosecutor said, Nigeria is bleeding over the last few days and we must bring some of these issues to bare and to understand how to find common solutions to our common problem of terrorism.
“I also wish to appeal to the prosecution team that as it is being done to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, there other people out there that also do much worse than him.
“I want to court to take note that this trial has been going for almost ten years. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is almost 56 to 57 years old now.
“He has been absent in his family life, his children, and community. I appeal to my Lord to tamper justice with mercy.” He said.
Justice Omotosho acknowledged Aguocha’s allocution before declaring that the court will resume back by 3:50pm for the sentencing of Kanu.