Protesters in front the UN building in New York on 19 September protesting against the continued detention of Omoyele Sowore. His supporters have vowed to continue a global protest until the rights activist is freed / Photo: Sowore2019

Sowore: Federal govt. charges detained activist to court despite bail order

According to a report of Sunday Punch, the Federal Government of Nigeria will, on Monday, arraign Sahara Reporters publisher and convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The Department of State Services (DSS) has until now refused to release the rights activist despite a court order to that effect, a development that has been widely criticised by prominent lawyers in the country.

Sowore will be arraigned on seven counts of treasonable felony, money laundering and cyber crimes which was instituted against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Sunday Punch reported.

Omoyele Sowore, detained Nigerian journalist and former presidential candidate charged with treason, has been granted bail but remains in custody /Photo: Sowore2019

 

The Department of State Service, which has been detaining the former presidential candidate since August 3, continues to hold him in custody in violation of the court order granting him bail six days ago.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who earlier on August 8, granted the DSS permission to hold the activist for 45, had on September 24, granted him bail.

Despite meeting the bail condition on September 25, the DSS refused to release Sowore.

Sunday Punch, quoting confidential sources, said the criminal case instituted against Sowore was not assigned to Justice Taiwo Taiwo, but to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who has subsequently fixed Monday for arraignment.

READ ALSO Sowore: Falana asks court to jail DSS director for disobeying court order

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), representing the convener of #RevolutionNow, has asked a federal high court in Abuja to jail Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the DSS, for keeping his client  in detention.
 
Falana said the DSS had no right to keep Sowore in custody after he had been granted bail by the court.
 
The notice entitled, ‘Notice of consequences of disobedience to order of court’ read: “Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of the Federal High Court of Justice Abuja delivered on 24 September, 2019, which ordered you to release the applicant in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/915/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.
Kola Tella

 

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