May 1, 2008
There was palpable tension in the courtroom of Justice Stephen Ada today in Jos as a ruling was delivered by the judge setting a trial date for the secret trial of the detained leader of the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah.
The hearing at the Federal High Court in Jos had in attendance journalists who were invited by the judge to cover the sitting. Justice Ada ruled that because of “National Security” considerations the court would try Okah in camera. He set the trial date for June 10 2008.
After his ruling, lead attorney to Okah, Mr. Femi Falana requested for all documentary evidence in possession of the prosecution but the judge declined his request leading to a tense hearing as Okah refused to plead to the 55 charges read in court by the prosecution attorney. Okah, who was speaking in court for the first time said he would remain mute if the prosecution will not turn over witness statements to his lawyers.
However, the judge decided to take a “no guilty plea” on his behalf, as there appeared to be a stalemate.
In closing today’s hearing, Judge Ada assured journalists in the courtroom that he would continue to use his discretion in admitting or rejecting their involvement in covering the trial.
MEND Respond to Court Ruling, Response Below:
May 2, 2008. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is disappointed but not surprised at today's ruling by a Federal High Court in Jos to conduct the trial of Henry Okah in secret under a flimsy excuse. We expect that his lawyers will contest this absurd ruling in the appeal court, and that the government will compromise some key tribes, individuals and groups in the Niger Delta region to support the injustice about to be perfected ; with support from the United States of America and the oil companies operating in Nigeria. MEND has been preparing for this eventuality and will let our actions in the coming weeks and months express our feelings. Jomo Gbomo
GBENGA OBASANJO MESSY DIVORCE: COURT REJECTS SECRET TRIAL-POINTBLANKNEWS.COM
A Lagos court has rejected an application to prevent journalists from covering proceedings of a suit by Gbenga, the first son of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing his father of sleeping with his wife.
Gbenga’s wife, Mojisola Obasanjo, had gone to court seeking secret trial of a divorce suit instituted against her husband. The court has now ruled that it will commence an open trial on June 4 2008.
The court ruling comes as the family of the former president has been confronted with all forms of allegations.
The judge in her ruling said the application by Mojisola Obasanjo to prevent an open court trial of the suit amounts to a breach of the constitutional rights of journalists to report the court’s proceedings. She however ruled against publications or reports bothering on the paternity of Mojisola’s two children whom she claimed were suffering psychological problems due to sensational reports about her divorce suit.
The judge said the court’s position is to ensure the protection of the rights of the two under-aged children in line with the country’s child rights law.
Mojisola Obasanjo had in a 17-paragraph affidavit prayed the court not to hear her divorce suit in secret to prevent the journalists from sensational reports about her family.
Mojisola is demanding a divorce over allegations that her husband, Gbenga, who is the first son of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, had been violent to her.
Gbenga Obasanjo had in a counter affidavit asked a Lagos high court to dissolve the marriage with his wife, Mojisola, because he doubts the paternity of his two children.
Gbenga Obasanjo had alleged that his father slept with his wife and rewarded her with juicy contracts while he served as the president of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo has not made any public statement in response to the allegations by his first son since the divorce suit was reported in the local press in January, 2008.
The hearing at the Federal High Court in Jos had in attendance journalists who were invited by the judge to cover the sitting. Justice Ada ruled that because of “National Security” considerations the court would try Okah in camera. He set the trial date for June 10 2008.
After his ruling, lead attorney to Okah, Mr. Femi Falana requested for all documentary evidence in possession of the prosecution but the judge declined his request leading to a tense hearing as Okah refused to plead to the 55 charges read in court by the prosecution attorney. Okah, who was speaking in court for the first time said he would remain mute if the prosecution will not turn over witness statements to his lawyers.
However, the judge decided to take a “no guilty plea” on his behalf, as there appeared to be a stalemate.
In closing today’s hearing, Judge Ada assured journalists in the courtroom that he would continue to use his discretion in admitting or rejecting their involvement in covering the trial.
MEND Respond to Court Ruling, Response Below:
May 2, 2008. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is disappointed but not surprised at today's ruling by a Federal High Court in Jos to conduct the trial of Henry Okah in secret under a flimsy excuse. We expect that his lawyers will contest this absurd ruling in the appeal court, and that the government will compromise some key tribes, individuals and groups in the Niger Delta region to support the injustice about to be perfected ; with support from the United States of America and the oil companies operating in Nigeria. MEND has been preparing for this eventuality and will let our actions in the coming weeks and months express our feelings. Jomo Gbomo
GBENGA OBASANJO MESSY DIVORCE: COURT REJECTS SECRET TRIAL-POINTBLANKNEWS.COM
A Lagos court has rejected an application to prevent journalists from covering proceedings of a suit by Gbenga, the first son of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing his father of sleeping with his wife.
Gbenga’s wife, Mojisola Obasanjo, had gone to court seeking secret trial of a divorce suit instituted against her husband. The court has now ruled that it will commence an open trial on June 4 2008.
The court ruling comes as the family of the former president has been confronted with all forms of allegations.
The judge in her ruling said the application by Mojisola Obasanjo to prevent an open court trial of the suit amounts to a breach of the constitutional rights of journalists to report the court’s proceedings. She however ruled against publications or reports bothering on the paternity of Mojisola’s two children whom she claimed were suffering psychological problems due to sensational reports about her divorce suit.
The judge said the court’s position is to ensure the protection of the rights of the two under-aged children in line with the country’s child rights law.
Mojisola Obasanjo had in a 17-paragraph affidavit prayed the court not to hear her divorce suit in secret to prevent the journalists from sensational reports about her family.
Mojisola is demanding a divorce over allegations that her husband, Gbenga, who is the first son of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, had been violent to her.
Gbenga Obasanjo had in a counter affidavit asked a Lagos high court to dissolve the marriage with his wife, Mojisola, because he doubts the paternity of his two children.
Gbenga Obasanjo had alleged that his father slept with his wife and rewarded her with juicy contracts while he served as the president of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo has not made any public statement in response to the allegations by his first son since the divorce suit was reported in the local press in January, 2008.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });