TODAY IN THE PAPERS: Oct 1 bombing: Court suspends Okah’s trial

 

According to the Vanguard Newspaper today, Justice Gabriel  Kolawole deferred the trial till March 10 to enable Okah, who is facing a  terrorism charge alongside one Obi Nwabueze, to recuperate from knee  surgery he underwent at the National Hospital in Abuja.  Owing to the surgery, Okah, who has been in detention at Kuje prison,  Abuja could not attend the court proceeding. 


Justice Kolawole earlier ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr.  Solomon Arase, to provide tight security around the hospital where Okah  is receiving treatment.  Charles, who is a younger brother to ex-leader of the Movement for the  Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Mr. Henry Okah, who had since  been convicted by a South African Court, had on October 6 attempted to  commit suicide while his trial was going on.  His effort to leap from a window in the court room which is situated on  the third floor of the high court complex, was thwarted  by both lawyers  and prison officials.  

Before his attempt to jump through the window was foiled, Okah, who  addressed the judge from the dock, expressed his frustration over what  he described as his “endless trial.”  Okah specifically blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan for his  travails, saying: “My life has been put on hold,” noting that he was a  victim of a highly dysfunctional criminal justice system.  “I have been incarcerated for about five years now, and I have a family  to cater for.  “My children would grow up without feeling the warmth of their father.  I  am tired of this endless trial,” he screamed shortly before he took a  chair and smashed the glass covering the window.  Sequel to his action, the prosecution applied for him to be confined in  chains throughout the trial, a request that was rejected by the court.  

It will be recalled that one of Okah’s alleged accomplice, Mr. Osvwo  Tekemfa Francis, a.k.a ‘General-Gbokos’, died in prison custody, even as  the high court in a separate judgment, jailed the 3rd accused person,  Edmund Ebiware, to life imprisonment.  The accused persons were initially arraigned before the High Court on  December 7, 2010 and subsequently re-arraigned on January 12, 2011.  Okah and Nwabueze were said to have superintended over varying terrorist  activities that hitherto took place within the oil rich Niger Delta  region of the country, including the bomb explosion that rocked a post  amnesty programme that was organised by Vanguard Newspaper in Warri,  Delta State. 

 FG alleged that they endangered the life of President Goodluck Jonathan  while Nigeria celebrated its 50th independence anniversary in Abuja.  They were said to have conspired with Henry Okah and one Emmanuel  Allison to make a direct attempt to endanger the life of President  Jonathan by seeking to drive two motor vehicles wired with  time-regulated explosive devices to the Eagle Square where the  Independence celebration was taking place. 

 FG also alleged that the accused persons between January 2 and March 15,  2010, within Port-Harcourt Rivers State and diverse places, conspired  with Henry Okah, Chima Orlu, at large, and persons unknown, to make a  direct attempt to endanger the lives of the Governor of Delta state, Edo  state and Imo state by seeking to drive two motors vehicles wired with  time regulated explosive devices into government house annex, Warri,  Delta State, the venue of the Vanguard Post Amnesty Dialogue, where the  said governors were in attendance, in order to cause a bomb blast for  the purpose of levying war against the state. 

 It added that a man lost his life because of that explosion.  Charles Okah was said to have among other offences, engaged the services  of one Bassey Umoren, a welder, and paid him N50, 000, to construct  hidden compartments into four motor cars, two of which were subsequently  loaded with explosive devices at Port-Harcourt by Obi Nwabueze and  Chima Orlu, at large, and positioned on 1st October at 0830 hours near  the venue of the anniversary for the purpose of levying war against the  state. 

 He was accused of sending two consignments of army camouflage torches,  bullet proof vests and boots to Allison for onward transmission to one  Segun Llori alias Stone face, at large, for use by terrorists recruited  by Henry Okah in the creeks of Niger Delta.  FG has so far called four witnesses to testify against the accused  persons.