A mild drama ensued on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja when counsel to the Federal Government Dr Alex Iziyon appealed to the court to keep Charles Okah, a terrorism suspect, in chains to prevent him from repeating an earlier attempt to take his own life by jumping from the third floor of the court building.
Okah an alleged mastermind of the Independence Day Bombing in Abuja had on October 6 alongside another suspect Obi Nwabueze attempted to jump down from the third floor of the six-floor court building.
Iziyon said Okah was trying to abort the course of justice by killing himself, requesting that he be chained to forestall such a situation.
In his response, counsel to the defendant Samuel Ozidiri (SAN) apologised on behalf of his client and said that the oral application by the prosecution was pre-mature, stressing that the prosecution did not consult the defence team before coming up with the contentious application.
In his bench ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole said that since his court had discretionary powers, he would not heed the prayers of the prosecution because the defence counsel had apologised, stating that granting the prayers of the prosecution to chain the suspect may constitute the greatest distraction in the suit.
Justice Kolawole however warned Okah against the repetition of such act before adjourning the case till October 27.
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