The Federal Government on Thursday asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to impose the death penalty on the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, following his conviction on seven counts of terrorism.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment delivered in Abuja, held that the prosecution had proved all the allegations in the seven charges beyond reasonable doubt, and consequently found Kanu guilty.
Moments after the conviction was announced, the Federal Government’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the court to apply the maximum punishment under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Awomolo told the court that the law prescribes a mandatory death sentence for several of the offences for which Kanu had just been convicted.
He said, “My Lord, consequent upon the conviction, nothing further remains but the lawful imposition of sentence. The punishment prescribed for the offences in Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six, pursuant to Section 12H of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013, is death.
“With all sense of humility, I say as a prosecutor that this court has no discretion in that regard. The only sentence Your Lordship can impose for Counts One, Two, Four, Five and Six is death, because the law empowers you to do so, and we expect that you will.”
Following the submissions, Justice Omotosho stood down the proceedings and announced that the court would reconvene at 3:50 p.m.
The judge is expected to deliver the sentencing decision after considering arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
