A Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday dismissed the bail application filed by Charles Okah and three other suspects accused of terrorism and treasonable felony.
Okah, Obi Nwabueze, Edmond Ebiware and Tiemkemfa Osvwo (a.k.a General Gbokos), who were first arraigned on Dec. 7, pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them by the State Security Services.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his ruling, dismissed the application for bail on the ground that they failed to provide reasonable proof that they would not abscond.
Kolawole noted that each of the eight charges levelled against the accused by the state carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, while the separate charge brought against Okah, Nwabueze and Osvwo carried a maximum penalty of death.
He said that the rules of the court in criminal matters give room for summary trial.
The judge adjourned the case till Jan.11, 12 and 18, 2011 for trial, and ordered that the accused be remanded in SSS custody.
He ordered that they be transferred to Kuje Prison after three days.
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had, through Alex Iziyon SAN, the prosecution counsel, filed two additional charges against the accused on Dec. 7.
In one of the charges, the accused allegedly conspired with Henry Okah, now in South Africa, and one Emmanuel Allison, now at large, to make a direct attempt to endanger the life of President Goodluck Jonathan on October one during the country’s 50th independence anniversary celebration in Abuja.
They were accused of treason for seeking to drive two vehicles wired with time-regulated explosive devices to the Eagle Square, where the Independence celebration was taking place.
Jonathan and dignitaries from Nigeria and other countries were also in attendance.
Part of the charges also read that ``the accused, between Jan. 2 and March 15, within Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and diverse places, conspired with Henry Okah, Chima Orlu, now at large, and persons unknown, to make a direct attempt to endanger the lives of the governors of Delta, Edo and Imo states.
Charles was specifically alleged, among other offences, to have engaged the services of one Bassey Umoren, a welder, and paid him N50,000 to construct hidden compartments into four cars.
The accused, through their lawyers, had prayed the court to order that they be transferred to prison custody.
Counsel to the state,Alex Iziyon, had told the court that investigations into the case was ongoing, and urged the court to allow the accused to be temporarily kept in SSS custody.
Okah, Obi Nwabueze, Edmond Ebiware and Tiemkemfa Osvwo (a.k.a General Gbokos), who were first arraigned on Dec. 7, pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them by the State Security Services.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his ruling, dismissed the application for bail on the ground that they failed to provide reasonable proof that they would not abscond.
Kolawole noted that each of the eight charges levelled against the accused by the state carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, while the separate charge brought against Okah, Nwabueze and Osvwo carried a maximum penalty of death.
He said that the rules of the court in criminal matters give room for summary trial.
The judge adjourned the case till Jan.11, 12 and 18, 2011 for trial, and ordered that the accused be remanded in SSS custody.
He ordered that they be transferred to Kuje Prison after three days.
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had, through Alex Iziyon SAN, the prosecution counsel, filed two additional charges against the accused on Dec. 7.
In one of the charges, the accused allegedly conspired with Henry Okah, now in South Africa, and one Emmanuel Allison, now at large, to make a direct attempt to endanger the life of President Goodluck Jonathan on October one during the country’s 50th independence anniversary celebration in Abuja.
They were accused of treason for seeking to drive two vehicles wired with time-regulated explosive devices to the Eagle Square, where the Independence celebration was taking place.
Jonathan and dignitaries from Nigeria and other countries were also in attendance.
Part of the charges also read that ``the accused, between Jan. 2 and March 15, within Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and diverse places, conspired with Henry Okah, Chima Orlu, now at large, and persons unknown, to make a direct attempt to endanger the lives of the governors of Delta, Edo and Imo states.
Charles was specifically alleged, among other offences, to have engaged the services of one Bassey Umoren, a welder, and paid him N50,000 to construct hidden compartments into four cars.
The accused, through their lawyers, had prayed the court to order that they be transferred to prison custody.
Counsel to the state,Alex Iziyon, had told the court that investigations into the case was ongoing, and urged the court to allow the accused to be temporarily kept in SSS custody.
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