The Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday sentenced Charles Okah and his co-defendant, Obi Nwabueze, to life imprisonment for masterminding the Independence Day bomb blasts of October 1, 2010 and also for a bomb blast in Warri, Delta State, on March 15 of the same year.
Both men were accused of planning the attacks with Charles’ elder brother, Mr. Henry Okah, the leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.
Henry had been convicted of the same offences and sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment by a South African court in 2013.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that the prosecution proved the charges preferred against Charles and Nwabueze beyond reasonable doubt.
Okah and Nwabueze, alongside Edmund Ebiware and Tiemkemfa Francis-Osvwo (aka General Gbokos) arraigned before the court on December 7, 2010 for the 2010 Independence Day and Warri bomb blasts.
But Francis-Osvwo died later in detention, while Ebiware, who had his trial conducted separately, was convicted on January 25, 2013 for the same set of offences and currently serving a life sentence.
The independence Day bombing, which happened near Eagles Square in Abuja, claimed at least 12 lives, while many others were injured.
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