Kanu’s Family Decry Alleged Distortion of Proceedings, Seeks Livestreaming in Court

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The family of Nnamdi Kanu has called for livestreaming of his ongoing trial before Justice James Omotosho, saying it would enhance transparency and eliminate distortion of court proceedings.

Spokesman of the family, Emmanuel Kanu, made the call in a statement, following concern over “deliberate misinformation emanating from this trial (which) underscores the urgent need for transparency.”

He said members of Kanu’s family were unhappy with the skewed reports of what transpired during the court hearing on Tuesday where it was reported in the media that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) admitted to calling for the killing of police officers.

Emmanuel decried “the media’s complicity in spreading lies, such as the baseless claim that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu admitted to inciting violence, saying it was the true eeflection of what actually happened in court.”

According to him, the alleged biased reporting “is indicative of the pressure exerted on journalists to serve as mouthpieces for the government’s agenda.

“This case, which carries global interest and significance, demands real-time access to counter the propaganda and falsehoods peddled by government-controlled media,” he said.

The Kanu family spokesman said though Justice Omotosho had demonstrated commendable impartiality in the trial, “the prosecution’s desperation to distort facts and manipulate public perception” remained a major threat.

He noted that “the gagging of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s family and legal team from conducting live interviews after court sessions only serves to embolden the prosecution’s deceitful tactics threatens the integrity of the trial.”

Emmanuel, therefore, appealed to Justice Omotosho to grant the family’s request to livestream Kanu’s trial to enable the public follow the proceedings real time.