News
Independent Day Blasts Okah To Call 103 Witnesses From Nigeria
Militant Leader, Henry Okah, yesterday told a Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court that he would call 103 witnesses from Nigeria to testify in his defence.
Okah is facing terrorism charges in relation to the Oct. 1, 2010 twin bomb blasts in Abuja.
Okah is slammed with charges of delivery, placement and detonation of explosives which occurred during Nigeria’s 50thIndependence Day celebrations, as well as an alternative count of conspiring with others to do so.
The prosecution, at the last adjourned date, told the court of plans to bring additional charges relating to terrorism, terror financing and possible money laundering against him in connection with the March 15, 2010 explosions in Warri, Delta State.
Okah’s counsel Rudi Krause told the court yesterday that Okah needed the witnesses to be subpoenaed to South Africa where they could testify free of intimidation.
Krause presented the list to the court.
The counsel told the court that the list he presented was a preliminary one but was brought early to give the prosecution sufficient time to prepare as Okah needed them to testify in the court.
He said the witnesses might not be able to testify freely in Nigeria, adding that at a later stage, he would provide further details of the witnesses to the court.
Krause also told the court that Okah was ready to go on trial and would not want the case delayed, adding that the conditions in which he is now being held were harsh.
He said that since cell phones were recovered in his cell in February, he had been moved to a punitive cell where he could not communicate with people and did not see sunlight.
Krause said Okah was alone in a cell which was for over 40 people, noting that his requests for medical attention had continued to be ignored by the prison authorities and his condition was progressively getting worse.
“He can’t speak to anyone, he sleeps on a concrete slab with a little mattress provided in the cell with no windows, no sunlight and his injury is getting worse,’’ the lawyer said.
Krause said he was told that a doctor who was assigned to see him had later withdrawn his services when he was told that the person he was to see was a security risk.
He urged the court to make a note on his detention warrant to indicate that he be given medical attention.
Krause also urged the court to rule that the case will no longer be adjourned at the Magistrates’ court again after the prosecution urged for more time to finish investigation and bring proof of indictment against him by August 24 ahead of the January 30, 2012 trial date.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Shaun Abrahams, told the court that the state required more time to conclude its investigation as it was awaiting some information from service providers and two unnamed countries.
He said the trial date had tentatively been set for January 30, 2012 and said the state was not delaying the matter.
Abrahams also told the court that Okah had lost a bid for a leave to appeal against denial of his bail at the High Court last week and had indicated that he may approach the Supreme Court of Appeal.
He said that measures had been put in place to enable Okah to have access to medical help after the doctor earlier assigned to him withdrew.
Abrahams said the list of witnesses presented by Okah’s counsel was so long that if followed through might make the trial take up to between three and four years.
He assured that proof of indictment will be served on Okah by August 24 which was still within the nine month period from February which the prosecution promised to conclude its investigation.
Magistrate Hein Louw in his ruling, refused to rule that the adjournment for more investigation requested by the prosecution must be the final one.
He said he could not do so since they were still awaiting information from two countries which was not within their control.
Louw however said it this did not mean he would allow further adjournments for investigation as he could decide to order the prosecution to go to trial even if they claimed they were still investigating.
He said that in all likelihood, the trial would proceed on January 30, 2012.
Louw said since both parties had agreed on the issue of medical treatment, he would endorse the warrant to reflect that Okah be granted access to it.
He adjourned the case to August 24 to allow for further investigation by the prosecution and serving of proof of indictment.
The Southern Africa correspondent reports that Okah was arrested on October 2, 2010 in Johannesburg and appeared in court on October 4,2010.
He applied for bail but was denied as the South African authorities said they had a good case against him and were sure they could get a conviction even though Okah argued to the contrary.
The state during the bail application, said they had evidence of phone call and e-mail contact between Okah and suspects held in connection with the explosions in Nigeria.
Meawhile, President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that government would not overlook the explosions which rocked the Force Headquarters in Abuja on June 16.
Jonathan made the pledge while receiving a delegation of the family of the late Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who came to commiserate with him at the State House, Abuja, over the bomb blast.
Our correspondent reports that the late Prime Minister’s family members led by Malam Yakubu Tafawa Balewa, were in the State House on a thank-you visit to the President, for naming the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs building after their father.
Jonathan said that government was taking definite steps to strengthen national security.
He said the explosion was an act of terror, which had become a global trend, but gave assurance that his administration was taking steps to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
The President said that naming the Foreign Affairs Headquarters building after the late Prime Minister was not an accident, but “a recognition of his contributions as Nigeria’s first foreign minister’’.
He said the action was also to recognise Balewa’s contributions to the development of Nigeria as its first Premier.
On plans by the family to establish a foundation in memory of their father, Jonathan advised that they should ensure the appointment of people of integrity, who would keep the good name of the late Prime Minister alive.
He promised that the former Prime Minister’s mausoleum would be upgraded, to serve as a suitable tourist attraction for visiting foreign leaders and visitors.
Earlier, Yakubu Balewa had expressed appreciation to Jonathan, and spoke of his family’s plans to set up a foundation in memory of their father.
He said the foundation would focus on good governance and good neighbourliness.
In a related development, as Nigerians continue to condemn in its entirety the incessant bomb attack on innocent citizens, especially the latest bombing of Police Headquarters, Abuja, the Enugu State governorship candidate of the Congress For Progressive Change (CPC), in the 2011 general elections, Chief Emma Ugwu , has called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency probe the ugly incident with a view to bringing those behind the unholy act to book to serve as deterrent to others.
Making the call in a chat with newsmen in Enugu at the weekend, the front line politician, noted that unless drastic measures were put in place to address the worrisome development, the nation’s nascent democracy would be in a very serious jeopardy.
Chief Ugwu regretted that the bomb scare and continuous killings of innocent Nigerians in some parts of the country in no small way portend danger for the country’s march for a stable democratic rule, adding that no responsive and responsible government would fold its arms and watch the lives of its citizens threatened and wasted as it is being witnessed in the country in recent times.
Hear him: “President Goodluck Jonathan’s government should look inwards within its rank and file to find out those behind the latest bombing with a view to finding out whether members of Boko Haram have infiltrated the security network of the country. In addition, government should also find out the immediate and remote causes of the social insecurity in the country as we are yet to come out from the post election violence”.
The CPC chieftain therefore used the forum to further advise the Federal Government not allow some disgruntled elements to create unnecessary tension and panic in the country, adding that no person or group of persons is bigger or more important than the country, as the corporate interest of the nation remains paramount.
He also advised Nigerians to always emulate countries like America and Britain where politics is based on developmental issues, pointing out that national interest should take precedent over selfish and sectional interests at all times.
“If bomb could explode and kill people in the nation’s police headquarters, then, how safe is the ordinary Nigerian in other less tight security areas in the country? This is a serious issue which the authority should not hesitate to address”, he further stressed.
He, therefore, urged the entire people of Nigeria, especially the political class to close ranks and support President Jonathan in his tireless efforts to take the country to the next level.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.