Treason trial of Biafra Zionists re-assigned to another judge in Owerri

Enugu—THE trial of 11 members of pro-Biafra, group, Biafra Zionists Federation BZF, has formally been transferred from Enugu, where the sitting initially commenced, to Owerri.

The accused persons in the open court, had accused the presiding judge of bias following the ruling of the court that it would continue the trial in secret in order to protect the identifies of the key prosecution witnesses who were yet to testify as requested by the prosection.

The case transfer from Enugu to Owerri was sequel to the granting of application for transfer of the case from Federal High Court, Enugu on the ground that justice might elude them there which was demanded for, by the accused.

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Counsel to the accused persons, Mr. Olu Omotayo confirmed to our reporter yesterday that “Abuja has granted the transfer request. It has been moved to Owerri. We were there, Wednesday, to take date but incidentally the Lordships are on vacation. We will get back when they resume,” he stated.

The Federal High Court 2, Enugu, presided over by Justice D.V. Agishi had on June 29, this year, withdrawn from the case.

Justice Agishi said that “in view of the fact that the accused have accused me of bias, the case file has been transferred to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to assign the case to another judge.”

The accused persons had through their counsel, Mr. Olu Omotayo sent a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High court Abuja, seeking for transfer of the case from the court.

In that letter dated June 23, 2015, reference number OAO/1/6/15, whcih was signed by a lawyer from Omotayo & Associates chambers in Enugu, Mr. B.N. Chukwu gave a vivid account of what led to the demand for the transfer of the case.

The eight-paragraph letter stated among others that “our clients in the open court raised up their hands and when granted leave to speak by the court, observed that the Judge was biased against them since the trial started as the Lordship had granted all applications made by the prosecution including the last one barring the public from the trial without legal authority or basis