The re-arraignment of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore on treason charges by the Nigerian government has suffered a setback due to the absence of the second defendant, Olawale Bakare who is the co-defendant in the case.
The matter, which had suffered delay since 2019 came before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja and was slated for re-arraignment of the activist could not go on when the 2nd defendant who was to appear with Sowore (1st defendant) was absent in the court.
The judge ordered that a hearing notice be served on the second defendant before the next adjourned date in the interest of a fair hearing. Counsel for Sowore, Abubakar Marshal told the court that he had filed an application seeking the leave of the court to allow his client to travel to the United States to see his family and also attend to his health.
Sowore had been restricted to Abuja since 2019 before the Appellate court lifted the restriction to any part of the country. But the judge interjected and told Marshal that the defence counsel’s application would not be moved in the absence of the 2nd defendant. He, therefore, asked him to wait and move the application to the next adjourned date.
Marshal also informed the court that Femi Falana Chambers had withdrawn their appearance for the 2nd defendant and that he had since then been represented by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN).
The prosecution counsel, Henry Jones Nebo said the matter was for re-arraignment and they were ready for the trial. Justice Nwite, therefore, ordered that a hearing notice be served on the counsel for the 2nd defendant, Mr. Olumide-Fusika and adjourned the matter to October 10, 2023.
Meanwhile, Sowore’s supporters and Amnesty International were in the court in solidarity with the activist. Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: ‘Drop All The Bogus Charges Against Sowore,’ ‘Sowore: End The Sham Trial,’ and ‘Respect The Human Rights’.
Sowore and Bakare have been standing trial for the charge of treasonable felony after planning to organise a protest tagged #RevolutionNow on August 5, 2019, which the government described as an attempt to disrupt peace in the country.
The Department of State Services had arraigned Sowore and Bakare before Justice Ojukwu for treasonable felony over the protest. Justice Ojukwu subsequently ordered that Sowore and Bakare should be released on bail but the DSS disobeyed the order for several weeks.
After granting him bail, the DSS re-arrested Sowore inside the court, causing commotion which made the judge flee. He was later released following nationwide condemnation. In February 2020, the Office of the Attorney-General took over the case, amended the charges and re-arraigned Sowore and Bakare.
The judge ordered the Nigerian Government to pay N200,000 as the cost to the defendants for the frivolous application for adjournment and adjourned till February 13.
