Keyamo Condemns Verdict On Okah

Jamiu Yisa

Human rights lawyer and activist, Festus Keyamo, has condemned the decision to sentence Henry Okah to 24 years imprisonment by a South African Court Tuesday.

Okah was jailed for his complicity in the October 1st 2010 bombing in Abuja which claimed 12 lives. He was also condemned for another bombing in Warri, Delta state.

In a statement released by the lawyer after the ruling , Keyamo described the process through which Okah was tried and later convicted as ‘flawed’.

“The reasons I gave in January for condemning the conviction is the same reasons I give now for condemning the sentence,” he said.

According to him, “The decision of the South African Court that convicted Henry Okah this morning of charges relating to terrorism is politically motivated and legally incorrect.

“As counsel to Charles Okah and others who are facing the same set of charges under Nigerian Laws, I have been actively involved in coordinating the trials both in South Africa and in Nigeria.

“The fundamental flaw in the trial is that Henry Okah was not given adequate facilities and the opportunity to defend himself. This is because after the prosecution closed its case in South Africa, the defence attorneys and my chambers here in Abuja tried frantically to summon the witnesses of Henry Okah who are based here in Nigeria to testify on his behalf. These witnesses include some government officials.

“In this regard, we wrote to the Attorney-General of the Federation who replied and directed that Henry’s counsel in South Africa apply to the court there for an order to secure the legal assistance of the Attorney-General of Nigeria.

“This was only two weeks ago (please, find attached a copy of the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation to my office and note that the date on the letter was mistakenly given as 8th January, 2012 instead of 2013.)

“Without giving Henry’s counsel in South Africa adequate time and facilities to follow the directives, the South African court foreclosed his opportunity to call witnesses and rushed to convict him. This is a breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing and an obvious attempt by the South African authorities to please Nigeria at all cost. That is why the judgment is nothing but political,” he noted.

Keyamo stated that while all Nigerians empathise with those who lost their lives and limbs in the bombing, “it is wrong to convict anybody for it without due process. Henry has been convicted without due process”.

According to him, Okah’s only offence was his refusal to support the Amnesty Programme of the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration and his insistence that the Niger Delta region should be allowed to control its resources.

Keyamo said further that with the recent condemnation of Jonathan by some militants who initially accepted the amnesty programme, it was clear that Henry Okah was correct not to have accepted the amnesty.

“The Nigerian government must immediately use all diplomatic efforts to ensure that Henry Okah does not die in a South African prison and for the South African government to grant him unconditional pardon. This is without prejudice to his right to appeal against the judgment,” he said calling for the unconditional release of Okah,” he averred.