‘Okah, bomber exchanged 1,126 phone calls in 54 days’

The South African prosecutors in the case against the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Mr. Henry Okah, on Thursday tendered more evidence against the terror suspect at a Johanesburg Magistrate’s court.

The evidence includes 1126 telephone calls he made to one of the suspects, Mr. Ben Ebere (aka Ben Jessy), between August 7, 2010 and September 29, 2010. He was also said to have sent 59 Short Message Systems to Ebere between July1 and September 2010.


Ebere and Chima Orlu, who the prosecutors added was also in constant contact with Okah before and on October 1, were declared wanted by the Police shortly after the October 1 twin car bombings that killed 16 people and injured 66 others.


The MEND leader is facing trial in South Africa for allegedly being the mastermind of the blasts. He had on Wednesday told the court that the case against him was flawed.


His brother, Charles, was among a new set of suspects arraigned in secret before an Abuja Magistrate’s court on Thursday.


When the hearing of Okah’s bail application resumed on Thursday in South Africa, the prosecutors tendered a supplementary affidavit revealing his communication, with Orlu and Ebere.


However, the affidavit didn’t state the content of the telephone calls and messages.


According to the affidavit deposed to by Lt. Col. Noel Zeeman of the South African Police Service, Orlu had 43 voice calls and exchanged 27 SMSs with his “co-conspirators and co-perpetrators” on the day of the blasts in Abuja.


The affidavit reads in part, “Orlu‘s telephone records have revealed that he had been in contact with the accused (Okah) on numerous occasions leading up to October 1.


“Of greater significance is that Orlu had sent an SMS message to the accused (Okah) at precisely 10. 58:59am on Oct. 1, 2010.


“This SMS was followed by another SMSs from Orlu at 13. 13:01am and again at 13. 29:59pm the same day.”


It said that SMSs were also sent to Orlu by Okah on September 30, 2010 at 12.38:11p.m and on October 1 at 6.02:39am, 7.40:20am, 7.41:22am and 7.41:35am.


The affidavit which was tendered by the prosecution council, Shaun Abrahams, added that Okah had 1, 126 telephone calls with Ebere between August 7 and September 29, 2010. He was also said to have exchanged 59 SMSs with Ebere between July 1 and September 2010.


Zeeman said, “Ebere had been in contact with the accused right up to Sept. 29 2010. There were 1,126 calls from the accused to Ebere during the period, from August 7, 2010 to Sept. 29, 2010.


“There were also 59 SMSs sent from the accused to Ebere during the period July 1, 2010 and September 2010.”

Posted: at 22-10-2010 04:16 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Ok, my eyes and ears are wild open.........

Posted: at 22-10-2010 04:45 PM (14 years ago) | Hero

i know the guy knew so much about the incident , right from the start, why not extradicts him home to face the charges , he could as well shield more lights on the issues right here

Posted: at 22-10-2010 08:43 PM (14 years ago) | Grande Master