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October 2010 Bombing: Trial Of Charles Okah Begins

The trial of Charles Okah, brother of the jailed leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and his co-accused, Kingsley Nwabueze … Continue reading October 2010 Bombing: Trial Of Charles Okah Begins


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charles_okahThe trial of Charles Okah, brother of the jailed leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and his co-accused, Kingsley Nwabueze accused of complicity in the 2010 Independence Day bombing, which killed at least a dozen people, has opened at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The trial which began on a rather dramatic note, started from inside the chambers of the court and continued outside the court premises where one of the exhibit of the prosecution, a Mazda car was tendered as one of the exhibits.

The trial is starting more than four years after the accused persons were brought to court

The exhibit keeper for the Department of State Services (DSS) tendered a list of 13 exhibits submitted to him by investigative officers.

The defence lawyers rejected the list, which according to them was prepared in July 2014, several years into the lifetime of the case, but were overruled by the judge.

The trial was to continue outside the courtroom, following an application by the prosecution that one of the evidence, a Mazda 626 with registration number, FKY 319 FKA could not be brought into the courtroom.

At the proceedings outside the courtroom, the prosecution tendered the vehicle as exhibit from the blast scene.

The trial was then moved back into the courtroom, where the other 11 exhibits, which include 10 camouflage bullet proof vests, 30 black military belts, 20 jungle booths, 34 water holsters, were tendered as evidence.

Others were two camp tents, several water bottles and assorted camp stands and hooks.

For the defense counsel, it is a good start for the trial, even though some of them expressed concern that the evidence listed as exhibits from the blast scene in Abuja, were said to have been brought from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

After the examination of the prosecution witness, the court adjourned to April 27, 2015 for continuation of trial.