….Okah Now Faces Terrorism Charge Alone
For lack of water-tight evidence, a Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out one of the charges brought against the alleged mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day bombing, Charles Okah.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole said he was dismissing the charge because evidence cited in court did not prove that President Goodluck Jonathan, who was at Eagle Square, the target of the blast, was intimidated by the attack.
He said the evidence before him failed to prove that Mr. Jonathan was sneaked out of Eagle Square, venue of the 50th anniversary celebration of Nigeria’s independence.
Mr. Kolawole said the evidence did not prove a case of treason as contained in count one of the charge.
He also said the evidence cited by the prosecution failed to prove that governors who attended a meeting on March 15, 2010 in Warri, Delta State, where another blast occured, were also intimidated.
He however dismissed a no-case submission filed by Mr. Okah and other defendants.
According to the ruling, Okah now faces only terrorism charge.
The New Diplomat recalls, Okah and the second defendant, Obi Nwabueze were accused of masterminding the March 15, 2010 bombing in Warri, Delta State, as well as another bomb explosion on October 1, that same year at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
They were also charged with treasonable offence bordering on alleged threats to the lives of former President Goodluck Jonathan and governors who held a meeting in Delta State.
The two defendants, Okah and Nwabueze had asked the court to strike out the charges against them, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove its case.
