The Federal High Court Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to pay a fine of an aggregate sum of N200,000 to the four members of Indigenous People of Biafra, who are standing trial alongside their leader, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The four defendants are Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwudike, Benjamin Maduagwu, and David Nwaurusi.
They had through their lawyers complained bitterly about how they have faced untold hardships in a bid to raise funds for their transportation to Abuja, to face trial.
The judge directed that the AGF should pay each of the defendants, N50,000 for failing to conduct diligent prosecution and for the inconveniences they suffered as a result of the absence of the lead counsel to the Federal Government, Shuaibu Labaran.
The visibly exasperated judge expressed concern over the way the trial was truncated, insisting the N200,000 fine must be paid to the defendants before the next adjourned date of March 17.
At Wednesday’s sitting, there was no legal representation for the Federal Government when the matter was called.
As the Judge was about adjourning the trial, one Mrs. Adewumi Aluko from the Federal Ministry of Justice came in and apologized that the Federal Government’s lead counsel was out of the country.
Aluko told the court that two witnesses were in court but will not want to proceed in the absence of the lead counsel and sought an adjournment.
Justice Nyako did not find the reason tenable as she counseled the Federal Government legal team to be more serious in the trial of the defendants.
Also, the court cautioned the defense lawyers to desist from using frivolous applications to delay the trial, which started in 2015.
