A South African court on Monday convicted Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) of 13 terrorism charges, most prominent of which is the twin car bombings that killed 12 people in Abuja on Independence Day, October 1, 2010.
Delivering the verdict in the South Gauteng High Court, Judge Nels Claasen said he had come to the conclusion that the state proved the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
Asides the 2010 Independence Day attacks that he was convicted for spearheading, he was also convicted for plotting two explosions in Warri, Delta State in March 2010.
Okah’s MEND has claimed responsibility for the attacks but the accused denied involvement in the blasts, saying the charges were politically motivated. He equally denied leading MEND but expressed sympathy with their goals.
However, after unearthing documentary evidence, particularly his wife’s handwritten notes, the South African court established that Okah was indeed MEND’s leader.
Okah’s sentence will hold on January 30.
