The trial of the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Mr. Henry Okah, resumed at a magistrate’s court in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday with the prosecution describing him as an illegal immigrant.
The prosecution said that Okah, who is being tried in connection with the October 1, 2010 twin car bombings in Abuja, had applied for a refugee status in South Africa, the Associated Press reports.
Lead prosecutor, Shaun Abrahams, added that the Bayelsa State-born terror suspect was scared that the Federal Government might apply for his extradition.
“He is also afraid that Nigerian authorities may apply for his extradition,” Abrahams said in his closing argument in Okah‘s bail application.
The prosecutor said the 45-year-old Nigerian faced administrative action from the Department of Home Affairs for alleged fraud relating to his permanent residency in the country.
He added that the state had a strong case and was confident that the MEND leader would be convicted during trial.
The MEND leader had earlier in his affidavit by his lawyer, Rudi Krause, told the court that the content of the (state’s) affidavit was not true.
Okah’s lawyer, Rudi Krause, closing his arguments, said his client was not a flight risk as the state alleged, and would not jump bail.
Okah also claimed to know Mr. Chima Orlu, one of the two men wanted by the police in Nigeria for the Abuja bombings.
He said that he rented an apartment in Johannesburg to Orlu, who according to him, had another name, Austin Malcolm Umejesi, in South Africa.
According to him, he became Orlu’s friend’ not knowing that he was planted by the Nigerian government to spy on him.
But the police in Nigeria said they had no information about Orlu using another name or living in South Africa.
Read more: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011053441118
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