UK solicitor and politician, Femi Aina, has defended the ruling of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on the sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking on TVC Breakfast, a programme aired on TVC News, on Friday, November 21, Aina responded to questions about whether the judge’s decision violated the constitution.
“No. If you are charged, the legal tenets require that the charge must be known to law. We have a law and you were charged under that law. You were given an opportunity to open your defence,” Aina said.
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He added that Kanu’s main argument appeared to be whether he received a fair trial.
READ ALSO: Why I Chose Life Imprisonment Over Death Penalty for Nnamdi Kanu – Justice Omotosho
“The level of latitude in this case is very unusual. The judge gave him an opportunity to come forward and prove his innocence,” he said.
Aina also criticised Kanu’s approach to his defence, saying, “Kanu does not value freedom. He does not value his own freedom, neither that of others. If you are charged to court and you know you are innocent, the first opportunity is for you to prove your innocence—go in the dock and prove your innocence. You had all that, but didn’t use it.”
The solicitor further cited examples of other Nigerian politicians who faced legal charges but successfully proved their innocence, including Ladoja, Gbenga Daniel, Uzor Kalu, and President Bola Tinubu. He noted that unlike them, Kanu allegedly abandoned his legal team, sacking four lawyers and opting to defend himself.
