The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has dismissed as an “outrageous lie” a report by the South African Department of Correctional Services of an “attempted jailbreak” by Mr Henry Okah.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has dismissed as an “outrageous lie” a report by the South African Department of Correctional Services of an “attempted jailbreak” by Mr Henry Okah.
In a statement today, it described the report as a last ditch and desperate deed by the governments of South Africa and Nigeria to scuttle Mr. Okah’s “likely victory” from the South African Appellate Court next month.
“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,” MEND sneered.
“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.”
It said it would continue to back Mr Okah’s innocence over the attacks he has been blamed for.