What next for Simon Ekpa as Finnish authorities charge am wit inciting terrorism?
Wia dis foto come from, Simon Ekpa/X
Finnish Deputy Prosecutor General don charge promoter of di Indigenous People of Biafra Simon Ekpa wit inciting terrorism online.
For one statement by Finland National Prosecution Authority, dem announce say dem charge "one Finnish individual for a case wey involve suspected public incitement to commit crimes wit terrorist intent and participation for di activities of terrorist group".
Oda charges include "related alternative criminal charges and suspected aggravated tax fraud".
Di statement say Ekpa allegedly commit di offence for Lahti between 2021 and 2024. Dem say di offence dey related to di suspect effort to establish Biafra region as independent state from Nigeria.
Di prosecution authority no mention di suspect name but di Finnish public broadcaster YLE identify am as Simon Ekpa.
"For di same case, di Deputy Prosecutor General don make decisions not to prosecute four oda individuals suspected of financing a terrorist crime, based on lack of evidence." di statement tok.
Ekpa dey for custody and don deny any wrongdoing.
Simon Ekpa bin change lawyer
For December 2024, BBC Pidgin send message give Simon Ekpa lawyer wey dey represent am for di case, Ilkka Kopra, to ask am wetin dey happun ontop di case and how long Ekpa go dey prison.
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
Di lawyer reply say "na di decision of di Finnish court of law to put Ekpa for prison".
E add say dem dey do evritin within dia power to see say Ekpa dey free but dem no sabi how long e go stay for prison.
BBC Pidgin do anoda follow up message to know wetin be Ekpa reaction to di report say Nigerian goment don freeze im assets.
Na dat time we receive information say Ekpa don change im lawyer becos say di one wey bin dey represent am bifor don retire. And e hand ova di case to a new lawyer.
Extradition process no dey against Simon Ekpa
Nigerian Attorney General of di Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, bin tok say extradition process no dey against Simon Ekpa.
Di AGF bin dey respond to report wey bin misrepresent di comments wey im make for one stakeholder engagement for Abuja.
For statement by im Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, di AGF say di report no be true.
"To set di record straight, wetin di AGF tok during di question and answer session na say di Nigerian goment bin dey engage wit Finnish authorities to ensure say Simon Ekpa dey held accountable for im actions."
Brief background of di tori
Na for December 2024 Finland authorities gbab Simon Ekpa on charges of alleged terrorist activities.
Di District Court of Päijät-Häme send Ekpa, wey be Lahti-Nigerian municipal politician, go prison on probable cause and on suspicion of publicly inciting pipo to commit crime wit terrorist intent.
Di court say Simon Ekpa dey allegedly spread separatist propaganda on social media.
Di suspected time of di crime wey dem charge am for na 23 August 2021 and di place na Lahti.
In addition to Ekpa, di Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also demand arrest of four oda men on suspicion of terrorist offences but dem don drop di charges against dose ones sake of lack of evidence.
Wetin dey next for Simon Ekpa?
Now wey di authorities don charge Simon Ekpa wit terrorism, im go begin appear for court wit im new lawyer Kaarle Gummerus to defend imsef.
Dem don file di prosecutor summons application wit Päijät-Häme District Court, wey go determine di date of di hearing, di statement by Finland National Prosecution Authority tok.
Di preliminary investigation material go become public at di start of the trial, unless di district court order otherwise.
For Finland, terrorist offences dey ordinarily carry a sentence of imprisonment for at least four months and and at most, twelve years, according to S. 1, Chap. 34(a), Criminal Code of Finland.
Wia killing dey committed, di sentence na imprisonment for at least four and at most twelve years.
Pesin wey commits murder wit a terrorist intent gatz dey sentenced to life imprisonment, according to S. 1(8), Chap. 34(a), Criminal Code of Finland.
Attempted terrorist act also dey punishable.
Failure to report serious terrorist offence dey carry maximum sentence of six months in prison, according to S. 10, Chap. 15, Criminal Code of Finland.
