Appeal Court Upholds Ebiware Life Sentence for Independence Day Bombing

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the conviction and life sentence handed to Edmond Ebiware over his complicity in the October 1, 2010 bomb explosion around Eagle Square in Abuja which left about 12 people dead and several others injured.

In a unanimous judgment of a panel of three, the appellate court resolved the two issues, identified for resolution, in favour of the state, listed as respondent, and dismissed the appeal by Ebiware.

Ebiware was accused of withholding information about the alleged plot by Henry Okah to cause bomb explosion in Abuja, and was initially charged, with three persons, including Charles Okah on an eight-count charge filed on January 11, 2011 before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

However, On May 3, 2012, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted Ebiware’s application to be tried separately from the three others and at the end of the trial, Justice Kolawole, in a judgment on January 25, 2013 convicted Ebiware and sentenced him to life imprisonment, subject to parole after 32 years from the date of the convict’s arrest on October 15, 2010, a decision he appealed.