October 1, 2010 Bombings: Life Sentence For Ebiware, Okah’s Accomplice

THE Federal High Court, Abuja Division, Friday slammed a life jail term on Edmund Ebiware over his complicity in the twin bomb blasts in Abuja on October 1, 2010.

About twelve people died in the blasts, several other persons sustained injuries and many vehicles were burnt in the incident.

Delivering a four-hour judgment, the trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that Ebiware violated the provisions of Section 40 (b) of the Criminal Code Act by concealing information on the intention of Henry Okah (convicted in South Africa for terrorism-related offences) to carry out acts of terrorism on the Federal Government and cause havoc in the country on October 1, 2010.

According to Justice Kolawole, the convict failed to disclose the information to either the President, Governor or Peace Officer as prescribed by law and he is therefore of the three-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

The Judge held that the anniversary day bombings in 20100 would have been averted if the convict had informed appropriate authorities of Henry Okah’s plot.

He said the evidence of prosecution witnesses showed that the convict was in communication contact with Henry Okah before the bomb blasts which caused the Federal Government serious embarrassment.

Kolawole said the since the convict could not convince the court that he reported the plot by Henry Okah to carry out the said acts of terrorism, he is guilty felony.

“The testimony of the accused is so hard to believe. From the evidences of the prosecution witnesses, the accused had fore-knowledge of the intention of Henry Okah to attack the government,” the Judge held.

In spite of the plea by the defence counsel, Godwin Uche, for the court to temper justice with mercy, the judge went ahead and sentenced the convict to life imprisonment with a caveat that the convict can be recommended for consideration under a prerogative of mercy after serving 32 years in prison.

The Judge also ordered that two hand sets seized from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.

The defence counsel had told the court that the extra-judicial statement obtained from his client could not be relied upon as his (Ebiware) confessional statement, saying that there was no admission by the accused person to indicate that he committed the offence.

Source:Guardian