A court in South Africa on Tuesday sentenced the leader of the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okah, to 24 years in prison for his role in the October 1, 2010 bombing in Abuja, Nigeria that resulted in the death of about 12 people. His family members have however declared their readiness to appeal the judgment.
Earlier, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had found Edmond Ebiwere, one of Okah’s four alleged accomplices, guilty of terrorism charges and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The trial involves Charles Okah, brother to Henry Okah, who was alleged to be part of the 50th Independent Anniversary bomb attack at the Eagle Square.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, had in his judgment sentencing Ebiwere, cited Section 40(B) of the Criminal Code Act which stipulates that any person who becomes an accessory to treason or becomes aware of the commission of treason and did not give evidence to the President, a State Governor or a peace officer in order to prevent the commission of the crime, is liable to treason and sentencing to life in prison.
“I concluded that the accused person is adjudged guilty as charged, being aware early in September 2010, that Henry Okah was planning a bomb attack but did not give such information to any of the persons or authority listed in section 40,B of the Criminal Code Act,” the judge had declared.
Okah’s trial commenced two years after his arrest over the alleged crime and he constantly denied the 13 charges against him and claimed evidences against him were weak and therefore, he would not be convicted. At a time, the presidency made efforts to reconcile with the convicted Niger-Deltan but this was not possible.
Okah denied that he was a member of the group and denied plotting the attacks. He also accused the presidency of plotting the attack to win public sympathy. In a 194-page affidavit, Okah had said: “the purpose of the 14 March 2010 bombing in my opinion was to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the Niger Delta where President Goodluck Jonathan at that time, was fighting to oust the governor Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan whom President Goodluck Jonathan intended to replace with his Minister for Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe.”
Convicting him few months ago, Justice Neels Claassen, pronounced Okah guilty on all the charges against him.
