From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has admitted a rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, to a N10 million bail with one surety in like sum.
Justice Musa Liman, handed down the ruling after dismissing the objections raised against the bail application by the police.
Sowore was arraigned before the court by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on a -16 counts bordering on alleged Cybercrime offences.
The Judge, however, attached several conditions to his bail, including the requirement to deposit his international passport with the court.
Justice Liman ruled that the police failed to prove how Sowore could intimidate high-ranking police officers who would testify in the case.
He further stated that the prosecution did not establish any link between Sowore and the purported cronies.
The judge concluded that the bail applicant deserves his personal liberty pending the outcome of the trial.
“If the applicant desires to jump bail, it is to his own peril,”the judge remarked, noting that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.
“Bail is accordingly granted to the applicant in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum,”the judge ruled.
He ordered that the applicant must deposit his international passport with the court.
The surety, according to the court, must be a responsible Nigerian citizen residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
On his part, the surety must submit an affidavit of means and title documents of landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which must be verified by the court registrar, along with a valid means of identification.
Following the ruling, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, requested that his client be released to his legal team pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions within a few hours.
The judge granted Sowore a 24-hour extension to remain with his lawyers.
The case was adjourned to April 8, 2025.