Mr Okah was in the courtroom with his wife.
The prosecution read these out before listing its reasons for opposing Mr Okah's bail bid.
Some of the reasons listed for opposing the bid include: ‘Okah and Jomo Gbomo are one and the same person;' ‘applicant can easily exit this country without a trace;' ‘the applicant will attempt to intimidate and eliminate witnesses;' and ‘the applicant faces some of the most shocking charges known to man. , If released on bail and murdered, or escapes justice, the international community will criticise the justice system of the Republic.'
But the diary contains more shocking entries. These include:
‘We met with Orubebe, jonathan's desire to run for President. They require me to co-operate with so-called militants,'
‘Nearly everyone is a bounty hunter for me'
‘My brother, Charles has faked my voice and has been collecting money all this while, he has been negotiating a ceasefire claiming to be me. What treachery is this?'
Okah takes the stand to testify.
His affidavit reads: "I deny I had to obtain permission in order to participate in Aljazeera interview."
"My life is in danger, I do not trust the Nigerian government."
"I do not trust the manner in which food is presented in the prison."
Okah says the invoice being used as an exhibit by the prosecution was sent by Niger Delta minister, Godsway Orubebe. He said the Nigerian government sent Orubebe to him with a quote for guns, asking him to help them get a second quote from the South African government and that he told them he wasn't a contractor.
"I told them I would not help them to buy guns to kill my people," he said.
On his alleged involvement in bombings, he said: "I am a sympathiser of the cause. That for me is where it ends."
"I fled my home. The way they came into my home, I believed them to be assassins sent by the Nigerian Government."
On the diaries, he said, "I have hundreds of books on guerilla warfare, video tapes, it is my passion. Some of these things contained in these diaries are notes on those books."
He said all this when he was being questioned by his lawyer. Prosecution says it isn't ready to cross-examine Okah as he wasnt told by defense that Okah would take the stand. Judge agrees with him.
The trial started yesterday and the judge is expected to rule on the bail request this afternoon.
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5630795-146/my_brother_was_faking_my_voice.csp
Posted: at | |