The Republic of South Africa beefed up its case against suspected terrorist, Henry Okah, yesterday by providing evidence linking the suspect to the two vehicles detonated in Abuja on October 1.
Following an earlier ruling by the presiding magistrate, Hein Louw, that he needed “something substantial” to come to a decision concerning Mr Okah’s bail application, the prosecuting lawyer, Shaun Abrahams, read a supplementary affidavit signed by the Police Services Officer in charge of the investigation, Noel Graeme Zeeman, which said prior to the detonation of the vehicle-rigged explosive devices, two vehicles were purchased in Lagos on Mr Okah’s instructions.
According to the affidavit, the explosions took place under the supervision of one Chima Orlu, who is said to have acted on the instructions of Mr Okah. Mr Orlu’s telephone records reportedly show that he was in contact with Mr Okah on numerous occasions leading up to the independence day attack. Mr Okah is also said to have sent text messages to Mr Orlu on the midnight preceding the attack and on October 1 at 6h 02:39am, 7h 40: 20am, 7h 41:22am and at 7h 41:35 am.
Mr Zeeman’s statement stressed that, “of greater significance is that Mr Orlu sent an SMS to Mr Okah at precisely 10h 58:59 am on 1 October, 13h 13:01am and 13h 29:59pm on the same day.” Mr Zeeman’s affidavit adds that Mr Orlu “made a total of 43 voice calls and sent 27 text messages to co-perpetrators and co-conspirators.” Mr Orlu was declared wanted by Nigeria’s State Security Service after the bomb blast..
The affidavit also states that one Ben Ebere had made calls and sent SMS to Mr Okah right up to 29 September. “There were 1126 calls from Okah to Ben Ebere, aka Ben Jesse, from 7 August to 29 September,” stated Mr Zeeman.photo:Vehicles conveying independence day bomb suspects on arrival at the Magistrate Court, Wuse in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Okah also sent 59 text messages to Mr Ebere from 1 July 2010 to September 2010.
It was also revealed that e-mails between Mr Okah and arrested suspects, John Tarmy and First Man were being investigated. One in particular reads: “Done, tell them to leave now.” According to the document, this email was forwarded from First Man to John Tarmy at 11:15 am on 1 October 2010 and forwarded the same day to Mr Okah at 16h 25:40..
Okah’s attorney responds
Rudi Krause, lawyer to Mr Okah, took time off to consult with his client and then filed an affidavit stating that he will not be able to refute the allegations presented by the prosecution unless he was provided with printouts of the telephone records, text messages, cell phone memory and the hard drive from Mr Okah’s computers which the State used in making up its case. He suggested that the evidence put before the court had been fabricated.
At this point, Judge Louw pointed out that the cell phone and computers were Mr Okah’s, and seized from his own home, which “precludes the state from fabricating evidentiary material.” Mr Krause, in resuming his reading of his client’s affidavit, said Mr Okah had no knowledge of Mr Orlu and Mr Ebere, but had received information that Mr Jesse used cell phone number 08039945640 to call him but he (Mr Okah) couldn’t access his call records to cross-check this information, as his cell phone had been seized by the police.
But Mr Abrahams maintained that; “we can give copies of what was seized from him (Mr Okah), and not what was obtained in the course of the investigation.” He also pointed out that Mr Okah “miraculously produced a telephone number for Ben Jesse, after saying he didn’t know Ben Jesse during cross-examination.” Judge Louw subsequently ruled that the state would go through Mr Okah’s request and adjourned the matter for today, October 22.
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