Court In Finland Fixes Date To Begin Simon Ekpa’s Trial

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Thursday, November 28th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Finnish district court has scheduled May 2025 for the prosecution to file charges against separatist leader, Simon Ekpa.

The African Examiner recalls that the pro-Biafra agitator was arrested last week Thursday by security operatives in the northern European nation and he was taken to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

According to available information, Ekpa committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality and he was also accused of instigating violence and inciting terror in the south-east of Nigeria through his social media pages.

Mikko Laaksonen, the senior detective superintendent at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Finland, in an email sent to the Punch stated that investigations into Ekpa’s activities are going on and the next hearing on the remand can be held in the next two weeks if Finnish authorities or Ekpa seek re-evaluation from the court.

“Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details can be disclosed,” the superintendent said.

“The date for bringing up possible charges by the prosecution was set by the district court to May 2025.

“In a basic situation regarding the remand, the next possible hearing can be held no earlier than two weeks from the previous hearing, should the parties in question seek for the matter to be re-evaluated by the district court.”