Why DSS bows, releases Sowore after judge’s threat
Pays N100,000 fine as ordered by judge
The Department of State Services on Thursday bowed to pressure by releasing from custody, the convener of the #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, after Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja earlier on Thursday issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the security agency to release Sowore, who has been granted bail by the court.
A DSS source disclosed this on Thursday night, saying: “He has been released. I am with him as we speak”.
He added that Olawale Bakare, Sowore’s co-defendant, had also been set free.
Also Sowore’s lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), confirmed the development, adding that the DSS also paid N100,000 fine to Sowore as ordered by the judge.
Justice Ojukwu had in the fresh order, expressed surprise that after Sowore perfected his bail conditions on November 6, the DSS did not comply with her order to release the defendants.
The judge expressed great reservation over the refusal of the Department of State Service (DSS) to release convener of Sowore and Olawale Bakare who have been in its custody since August 3, 2019 following their arrest that aborted the protest scheduled for August 5.
Sowore and Bakare are facing seven counts charge bordering on conspiracy to commit treasonable felony and alleged breach of Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, money laundering and cybercrimes. The defendants have denied the charge.
At the resumed trial on Thursday, Counsel to the defendants, Femi Falana (SAN) told the Court that its orders on DSS to as release documents to defendants’ lawyer and the release of the defendants who have been granted bail and have met the attached conditions has not been complied with by the prosecution.
Falana, who told Justice Ojukwu that one month after the court ordered service of documents to be tendered on the defence, the prosecution only served the defence the documents on Thursday and hence would be needing time to study the documents as well as watch the attached videos with the defendants.
He also prayed the court to direct the prosecution to serve the full statements of all listed witnesses instead of a summary statement to aid their defence.
The defendants’ lawyer further told the court that he was having difficulty gaining access to his client who is still in custody of the prosecution despite meeting his bail conditions.
At this instant, Justice Ojukwu called on the prosecution counsel to explain why Sowore and Bakare were still in their custody.
Responding, prosecution counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN), admitted that the order was served on the prosecution but the defendants were yet to be released because the DSS had asked their sureties to come for identification.
Interjecting, Justice Ojukwu asked the prosecution counsel whether that request was part of the Court’s order.
“Is that part of the order, is there a parrallel court here, who is directing that? Is there another court elsewhere? The court queried.
Justice Ojukwu expressed pain that the DSS could flout her orders even after she took time to ensure that the bail conditions were met.
In a short ruling, the judge ordered that the defendants be released within the next 24 hours and adjourned to Friday, November 6 for report of compliance.
On the request for adjournment by Sowore’s lawyer for time to study the documents and videos tendered as evidence against Sowore, Justice Ojukwu held that because the adjournment was created by the prosecution, she was inclined to award cost against the prosecution.
She recalled that while adjourning the matter on November, she had ordered that the prosecution serves all necessary documents it intends to tender on the defence before the commencement of trial on Thursday.
“Since the last time, you did not deem it necessary to serve”, she said while rejecting Liman’s claim that the late service was due to administrative bottleneck.
Justice Ojukwu subsequently awarded a cost of N100,000 against the Prosecution, adding that trial would only go on upon payment of the N100,000 fine
