•Omoyele Sowore and Tinubu
The Department of State Services (DSS) has requested that a Federal High Court in Abuja orders that the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, be returned to prison custody over his inability to meet the conditions attached to the bail granted him.
The DSS is prosecuting the activist over alleged criminal defamation arising from claims that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts made on his official X and Facebook accounts, reports The Nation.
Prosecuting lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), at today’s hearing, noted that Sowore has been unable to perfect the fresh bail granted him on June 30 and applied that he be returned to prison pending when he is able to meet the bail conditions.
Kehinde said: “We urge your lordship to make a necessary order for the remand of the defendant until the bail conditions are met,” noting that the who was released to a lawyer that appeared for him on June 30 pending when he filled the bail terms, was yet to meet the conditions.
He argued that the court’s order could not be toyed with and adding that such an order is not made in vain.
Responding, defence lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) urged the court to exercise patience because the defendant was in the process of complying with the bail terms.
Olumide-Fusika said: “It is incorrect that the conditions have not been met. When you meet bail conditions, the verification will have to be made by the court and this is ongoing, my Lord.”
After listening to both lawyers on the issue, Justice Mohammed Umar said although he had signed Sowore’s release order on the last adjourned date, he would wait until the close of work on Monday to see the steps the defendant has taken so far, before making any order in relation to his remand.
Sowore opened his defence today by calling his first witness, Deji Adeyanju, an Abuja-based lawyer.
