The South African judge
presiding over the trial of
Nigeria’s Henry Okah has fixed
next Tuesday, March 26, for the
sentencing of the Niger Delta
militants leader.
Judge Neels Classen of the South
Gauteng High Court declined an
application for a special entry of
irregularity or illegality brought
on Monday by Okah’s defence
counsel in the terror case.
The leader of the Movement for
the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta, MEND, Okah, has been
convicted on 13 counts of
terrorist activities.
The application referred to
Section 317 of the South African
Criminal Procedure Act 51 of
1977 and Section 2(1) of the
International Cooperation in
Criminal Matters Act 55 of 1996.
After hours of arguments by the
prosecuting and defence
counsel, the judge ruled that on
the three major points raised in
the application, it is frivolous and
absurd to say that the presence
of the State Security Service, SSS,
prosecutor, Clifford Osagie, had
an adverse effect on the case.
On January 21, Okah was found
guilty on a 13-count charge
bordering on terrorist activities,
conspiracy to engage in terrorist
activities, and delivering, placing,
and detonating an explosive
device.
The charges related to two car
bombs on October 1, 2010 in the
Federal Capital Territory, FCT,
Abuja, which claimed 12 lives
and injured 36 others.
Source:www.nationalmirroronline.net