BREAKING NEWS
2010 Independence Day Bombing: Suspects Charles Okah Appears In Court
Charles Okah, the suspected mastermind of the
Independence Day bombing in 2010 has continued his defence in the terrorism
case filed against him by the federal government at the Federal High Court,
Abuja.
Okah’s son, Boloyebi, appeared before Justice
Gabriel Kolawole as witness to explain what he used a certain $13,000 his
father gave him to do.
Boloyebi Charles Okah, who is a student of
University of Kansas in the United States of America, was led in evidence by
the defence counsel, Samuel Zibiri (SAN),
Okah Jnr. told the court that he used the $13,000
his father gave him to pay his tuition fees and housing expenses in America.
According to him, he was arrested by the Department
of State Security (DSS) but released after nothing incriminating was linked to
him before he processed his Degree admissions overseas and left the country on
June 22, 2017.
When cross examined by the prosecuting counsel, Alex
Izonyi (SAN), the witness said the $13,000 he received from his father was not
enough to meet his needs of $19,470 overseas.
He further told the court that he could only only
meet the requirements of his first semester in school.
When asked if his Delta Airline air ticket to
America was paid in US Dollar, he said no.
Okah Jnr. said he paid the sum of N278, 000 for the
flight ticket in Naira exclusive of the $13, 000 his father, who is in
detention in Kuje prison, gave him.
“I paid for my flight ticket of N278, 000 in Naira.
It was not from the money my father gave me,” he said.
When asked why he did not tender, before the court,
a copy of his admission letter into the University of Kansas which would have
indicated his years of admission, his course of study, and the duration of his
programme, he could not replied.
He, however, told the court verbally that he was a
student of Visual Arts in the university and was expected to complete his three
year programme by 2020.
Thereafter, Charles Okah Snr, adopted his own
witness statement on oath but he was not cross-examined by the prosecuting
counsel.
The defence applied that the court should order the
prison personnel to allow the defence has a conference meeting with the
defendants along with the witnesses for 15 mins after the court session.
The prosecution, who did not oppose the application,
however said it would raise its objections to Charles Okah’s witness statement
on a later date because it only received it few minutes before the session
commenced.
In a short ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted
the defence request and ordered that the defendants should be allowed access to
their counsel for 15 mins outside the courtroom.
He adjourned the matter until October 24, for
continuation of hearing.
Charles Okah is the younger brother to ex-leader of
the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah, who is
serving life sentence in South Africa prison.
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