*Says Kanu is being dehumanised, not well fed
By Ada Okafor
Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the lead defence counsel for the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has recounted how he was “almost stripped naked” when he visited his client, preparatory to Tuesday’s Court session, at the Department of State Services (DSS) detention facility, where he is being held.
Chief Ozekhome, recently took over as lead defence counsel and appeared in court Tuesday for the first time on the matter, recounted his plight at the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako on Tuesday.
Ozekhome said that the security agents at the facility were vehemently violating the orders of the court regarding the conditions under which Kanu was being detained.He said that though the court made an order that Kanu should be given access to three people of his choice, these were never complied with, adding that when he visited his client, the DSS neither allowed him to go in with a writing material nor gave him enough time to discuss his trial with him.
The human rights activist recounted how the DSS personnel ordered him to take off his “wristwatch, shoes and stockings.He stated: “In fact, I cracked jokes with them that they should have asked me to take off my pants as well.
“The frail-looking defendant (Mr. Kanu) is being denied access to people. I was not allowed to go in to see Kanu with even a piece of paper and biro. I was almost stripped naked,” Ozekhome said.Nyako, however, said: “No detention centre in the world would allow wristwatches, pen because they can be used to record in the detention.
”The Judge, however, restated her earlier orders, directing the secret police to give Kanu the “maximum comfort” that is available.Chief Ozekhome also said that the authority neither give Kanu good food, nor took good care of his health, noting that though they took his blood for a test several times, his client never sees the test result.The senior lawyer also said that while in detention, Kanu was not allowed to change his clothes, pointing out that the IPOB leader had been wearing the same clothes since he had been in the DSS detention.Justice Nyako then asked an officer of the DSS who led the team to the court if it was true, but the officer denied the allegation.However, Kanu, who spoke from the dock, said he had been wearing the single clothes since his arrest.Earlier, Ozekhome had prayed the court to allow Kanu’s American lawyer, Mr. Bruce Fein, to observe the proceeding but the Judge declined.She refused saying that the foreign counsel wrote a letter to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, for permission to attend the sitting and that she was yet to get the response of her boss on that regard.
The Judge, however, said that a British High Commission officer, who was in court to observe proceedings, applied directly through her court and his application was approved.“I am in control of my court. If you decided to take an administrative procedure, then you have to wait until I get the Chief Judge’s response,” she said.
