Trial Judge Raises Concern Over Sowore’s Surety

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, the judge presiding over the case of the convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, has raised the alarm over the inability of the Sahara Reporters publisher to meet the bail conditions granted to him.

Naija News reports that the judge presiding over the case made this comment on Monday while ruling on the application for variation of the bail conditions.

According to her, “considering the pedigree of the first defendant as observed in his application, it is rather unfortunate that no one is willing to stand as his surety on those terms.

“On the other hand, it creates an assumption that despite the pedigree of the first defendant, none of his best associates is willing to stand for him. This poses a cause for concern.”

The Presiding judge revealed that bail sum is not required to be deposited but when a court makes an order for security, the secure money is later returned to the owner (surety).

Naija News recalls that Sowore has been in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since August 3 when he was arrested in Lagos.

Sowore’s counsel, Femi Falana, had approached the court seeking a variation to the previous bail conditions which he said could not be met.

Justice Ojukwu reviewed the bail conditions of the political activist and set aside the previous order which directed one of Sowore’s surety to deposit N50m.

The Presiding judge also reduced the bail sum of Olawale Bakare, the second defendant, to N30m instead of the initial N50m.

However, the trial judge refused to vary all the other conditions for bail.

Among the other conditions of the for bail are two sureties who must be resident in Abuja and have landed properties within the federal capital territory (FCT).

Naija News understands that the court had held that the sureties must deposit original documents of those properties in the court registry.

Justice Ojukwu barred him from travelling outside Abuja and also stopped him from addressing any rally.