A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed a fresh bail application filed by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling, said the application for bail was an abuse of court process.

Justice Nyako said she was not satisfied with the reasons the IPOB leader gave for his failure to appear in court for continuation of his trial.

The presiding judge stated that from records of the court, Kanu, was represented by his lawyer on the day his bail was revoked, likewise his sureties.

“In fact, his sureties told the court that they did not know the whereabouts of the defendant and even applied to be discharged from the matter.

“Therefore, the defendant was not denied fair hearing,” she said.

Justices Nyako held that though a court could vacate a previous order when confronted with a cogent and verifiable reason, “in the instant case, I have not been given any, neither have I been given any reason to set aside the earlier order.

“The present application amounts to an abuse of court process for attempting to relitigate an issue already decided by the court.

“If the defendant is dissatisfactory, he has the Appeal Court to go to.

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“This application is accordingly dismissed,” the judge ruled.

Justice Nyako also adjourned the trial until November 14 for the report of the Court of Appeal decision on the appeal filed by Kanu’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, seeking the order of the court quashing the remaining seven-count charge levelled against his client.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court, on May 18, dismissed the bail request filed by Nnamdi Kanu.

Ruling on the bail application, Nyako, held that the issue of Kanu’s absence from court since 2017 must first be determined before his bail request can be heard.

The Star