What will happen to Senator Abaribe, others if Nnamdi Kanu fails to appear in court - Presidency
- The presidency has said that the sureties of Nnamdi Kanu risk imprisonment
- The presidency also said the bond presented by the sureties might be forfeited
- The special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution Okoi Obono-Obla said the court might also issue an arrest warrant for the IPOB leader
The presidency has said that those who stood as sureties for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu risk imprisonment if he fails to appear in court on his next adjourned date.
The special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution Okoi Obono-Obla said the court might also issue an arrest warrant for the IPOB leader.
Obono-Obla said while the federal government has filed a motion on notice for the court to set the bail already granted Kanu, the fact that he (Kanu) has not been seen since the military exercise in his residence means he might not appear in court.
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He said the bail bond made available by his sureties might also be forfeited.
He further added that the only reason the bonds will not be forfeited would be if the sureties give good reason for that.
Obono-Obla said: "The federal government has already filed a motion to set aside the bail of Kanu.
“Following the military exercise carried out in Umuahia, Abia State and the subsequent proscription of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has not been seen and may have gone underground.
“So it is not likely that he will appear in court on the next adjourned day for fear of being arrested by the police or security agencies. Kanu had sureties that entered into recognizance or signed bail bonds as ordered by the court that led to his release.
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“What is a recognizance? In law, recognizance is a security entered into before a court with a condition to perform some act required by law; on failure to perform that act a sum is forfeited.
“The position of the law as provided under Section 173 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, is that a defendant whom recognizance was entered on his behalf and who is subsequently released on bail is bound to appear before the court at every time and place to which during the course of the proceedings, the hearing may from time to time be adjourned.
“The court also may issue a warrant of arrest where a defendant (Kanu) bound by a recognizance or bond fails to appear before a court or police station. It follows that if Kanu fails to appear before the Federal High Court on the next adjourned date, the Judge will likely order a warrant for his arrest.
“The implication of the failure of Kanu to appear in court on the next adjourned date on those who stood sureties for his recognizance is that his recognizance shall be forfeited.
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“The court shall order his bond entered by his sureties to pay the penalty or to show sufficient cause why the penalty should not be paid.
“It follows that Kanu’s three sureties will be ordered to pay N100 million each. Where sufficient cause is not shown by the sureties or the persons bound and the penalty is not paid, the court may recover the penalty from the person bound or from his estate if he is dead, in the manner laid down in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 for the recovery of fine.
“However, where the penalty is not paid and cannot be recovered in the manner laid down by the law, the person bound shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months."
Recall that following Kanu's release from prison, a source close to him confirmed that three people stood as surety for him. He said the three people were the chairman of the Senate’s southeast caucus, Eyinnaya Abaribe; a Jewish priest, Immanuel Shalom; and an accountant and Abuja resident, Tochukwu Uchendu.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the IPOB leader paid a courtesy visit to the deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu a visit after his release from Kuje prison.
Some of the people who were present during the visit included Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stood as surety for Kanu's bail, Theodore Orji, Mao Ohabunwa, Sam Egwu among many others.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's father talking about the activities of his son as IPOB's leader:
Source: Legit.ng
