The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has described the alleged attempted jailbreak by its former leader, Henry Okah, as a petty propaganda by the South African and Nigerian governments.
MEND, which was reacting to the claim by the South African Department of Correctional Services, said the allegation was a desperate move by the two governments to scuttle Okah’s possible victory at the South African Appeal Court next month.
Okah, who was found guilty of 13 offences, including the setting off of two bombs in Abuja and Warri, Delta State, on October 1, 2010, was sent to 24 years in prison by a South African court, sitting in Johannesburg.
The former MEND leader was also sentenced for threatening the South African Government after his arrest.
A statement signed by the spokesperson of the militant group, Jomo Gbomo, specified that as a political prisoner, who was granted a leave to appeal his conviction, Okah would not connive to escape with Common Law prisoners.
The militant group recalled that Okah had shunned a plea bargain to regain his freedom and opted to go ahead with his trial to clear his name.
“Our attention has been drawn to a statement by the South African Department of Correctional Services of an ‘attempted jailbreak’ by Mr. Henry Okah.
“The MEND views this petty propaganda as a last ditch and desperate deed by the South African and Nigerian governments to scuttle Henry Okah’s likely victory at the South African Appellate Court coming up anytime in the month of March, 2014, and an outrageous lie.
“No right thinking person would believe that the ‘Political Prisoner’, who was recently granted a leave to appeal his conviction and has a pending lawsuit against the South African Prison Service would connive to escape with common-law prisoners, who have nothing to lose.
“Henry Okah not only shunned a plea bargain offered by the prosecution for his freedom but opted to go ahead with his trial to clear his name. He is ready to proceed to the South African Constitutional Court to test the South African judicial system against an obvious setup,” the statement reads. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com