Dare Babalola
The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the sentencing of the convicted Biafra agitator Nnamdi Kanu for over an hour.
Trial judge James Omotosho rose at 2.42 p.m. on Thursday after convicting Kanu of all seven counts.
The judge, who receded to chambers, promised to return at 3.50 p.m. for sentencing.
Immediately after the conviction was pronounced, the Federal Government’s lead counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, urged the court to impose the maximum penalty prescribed under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Awomolo reminded the court that the law mandates a death sentence for several of the offences Kanu was convicted of.
“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, Awomolo submitted.
Justice Omotoso is expected to announce the sentencing decision after considering the submissions of both parties.
