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member’s death in Imo

ENUGU – Eleven members of Biafra Zionist Federation, BZF, standing trial at Enugu Federal High Court have accused the presiding judge, Justice Dorothy Agishi, of bias, urging her to disqualify herself from handling the matter.

Leader of the group, Benjamin Onwuka, and ten others have been standing trial before the court over treason charges.

The prosecution had at the last adjourned date, prayed the court to discontinue public trial of the suspects in order to protect its witnesses.
His motion was, however, opposed by the defence counsel, Olu Omotayo, who argued that secret trial of the suspects would lead to a miscarriage of justice.

In its ruling on the matter, yesterday, the court granted the prayers of the prosecution counsel, though it held that accredited members of the press would be allowed at the trial sessions.

Angered by the ruling, one of the suspects, Onwuka, who sought the attention of the court, accused Justice Agishi of bias, noting that all the rulings of the court, including the ruling on their bail application, showed that the judge was not ready to dispense justice.

The defence counsel, who was also not satisfied with the ruling, announced his intention to withdraw from the matter.
The court, however, insisted that he should file a written application announcing his formal withdrawal from the matter.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, enraged Omotayo described the ruling of the court as a miscarriage of justice.

“We cannot be party to secret trial of these people; the court said accredited members of the press would be allowed during the trial, but our question is,who will have the responsibility of accrediting them? So, you can see that the entire thing boils down to secret trial,” he said.

Source - Vanguard