The Ebonyi State High Court in Abakaliki, the state capital, has acquitted 36 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who were held in detention for two years on a range of charges, including murder.
According to Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the legal representative for IPOB, the 36 members had initially faced charges of murder under case number HAB/29c/2021 before the Court.
According to Ejiofor, after taking their plea, the matter proceeded to hearing and the prosecution presented a total of six witnesses and closed its case, but “we filed a No Case Submission which was duly adopted on the June 15, 2022 and consequently adjourned for ruling.”
Ejiofor said that on the date slated for ruling on the No Case Submission, the State government ambushed them in court with new information with charge No HAB/43c/2022, already fixed for plea in the same court that was to deliver a ruling on the No Case Submission.
“The defendants were charged on a 3 counts charge of unlawful possession of firearms, unlawful association and arson.
“Later the prosecution filed an additional 3 counts charge of conduct likely to cause breach of peace, carrying out warlike undertaking and robbery making the second charge a total of six counts.
“The said new charge was called up first and the defendants took their plea on same and were remanded before Ruling on the No Case Submission was delivered.
“Our No Case Submission was upheld and the defendants were consequently discharged in HAB/29c/2021,” he said.
The said that trial commenced on the second charge HAB/43c/2022, and the prosecution presented a total of two witnesses in the second charge and “we filed a No Case Submission again.
“The said No Case Submission was adopted on November 8, 2023 and consequently adjourned for ruling.”
He stated that while the second charge was pending before the court, the prosecution again filed another charge with charge No: HAB/59c/2022 bordering on murder against the same defendants.
“Immediately we got information of the said third charge, we filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection against the said charge because it was clearly an abuse of court process and deliberately intended to subvert the course of justice and keep the Defendants in detention indefinitely.”
Ejiofor said that on Friday, the court discharged the 36 accused persons, “However, the Defendants were forced back to prison by the prison officials on account of the said third charge which is coming up for plea and hearing of our preliminary objection on January 18, 2024.”
Expressing hope that the 36 IPOB members will be freed in January, Ejiofor said, “I have no doubt whatsoever that there is more to this strange and unprecedented twist than meets the eyes.
“It is very obvious to discerning minds that someone somewhere does not want these innocent Biafrans to regain their freedom despite being given a clean bill of health by the court. It simply connotes that judicial process is called in aid in gross violation of the rights of innocent Biafrans.
“It is a matter of time, though we have activated an administrative disciplinary process to ensure that officers in the temple of justice who are colluding in this gross perversion of course of justice, are deservingly punished, for which the details shall remain private.
“We shall not rest on our oars to ensure that these innocent Biafrans regain their freedom having been pronounced innocent by the court, as quickly as possible.”
