The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, on Thursday fixed April 25 to hear the appeal brought before it by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, and his co-accused – David Nwawusi and Benjamin Madubugwu.
The appellate court fixed the date after informing the appellants through their counsel, Chief Chuks Muoma (SAN), of its plan to proceed on easter vacation any moment.
Justice Moore Adumen who presided over a three-man panel of justices had told Kanu that his case could not be accommodated until after the vacation.
The appellants have accused the trial judge, Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja of bias.
Kanu and his two co-defendants are being prosecuted on six counts of treasonable felony, unlawful possession of firearms and other offences bordering on alleged agitation for secession of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
They had approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal asking for an order to compel the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, to withdraw the case from Justice Tsoho and re-assign it to another judge.
The defendants accused Justice Tsoho of bias following the judge’s ruling delivered on Monday, which would permit prosecution witnesses to testify behind a “shield” in order to hide the witnesses’ identities from the members of the public present in court.
The defendants on Tuesday filed a one-ground notice of appeal asking for an order setting aside Justice Tsoho’s ruling and transfer of the case to another judge of the Federal High Court.
Justice Tsoho is the second judge of the Federal High Court Kanu would be accusing of bias with respect to his ongoing trial.
