Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday held that  suspected masterminder  of the October 1, 2010 Independence Day bombing, Mr. Charles Tombra Okah is fit to face his terrorism trial before the court.

Delivering a ruling on an application brought by his counsel, Mr. John Ainetor,  the presiding judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that the request by the accused person for a private medical evaluation to ascertain his true state of health is “an abuse of court process”, as Mr. Ainetor did not oppose the court’s earlier order for a medical examination of Mr. Okah at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Justice Kolawole said: “The request for a
private medical evaluation of the accused person is an abuse of court process. Its aim is to ensure that the trial does not proceed.”

He further held: “There is no merit in the applicant’s motion on notice, and it is hereby
dismissed.”

The presiding judge fixed trial of the accused persons for July 8 and 9, and October 7, 8 and 15, 2014.

He ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kuje Prisons, Abuja and be reproduced in court at the adjourned date.

The counsel to federal government, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), had urged Justice Gabriel Kolawole to dismiss an application by the accused seeking a fresh psychiatric examination by a family doctor.

The lawyer said the request by Okah seeking an order of court allowing him to be examined by a doctor to be nominated by a family doctor “is unfounded in law and has never been heard of”.

“By virtue of sections 221 to 224 of the Criminal Procedure Act, there is no provision for independent medical examination they are asking for,” Iziyon said

Justice Kolawole, had fixed June 9,(yesterday) for ruling on the application.