Sowore Remains In Kuje Prison As Court Reserves Ruling On Bail Revocation Challenge

Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, will remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre after the Federal High Court in Abuja reserved ruling on his application challenging the revocation of his bail and the issuance of a bench warrant against him.

Justice Mohammed Umar fixed June 30 to deliver a ruling on the application seeking to set aside the court’s earlier order revoking Sowore’s bail following his absence from proceedings on June 16.

The ruling came after lawyers representing Sowore and the Department of State Services (DSS) presented arguments for and against the application during proceedings on Tuesday.

Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, is facing prosecution by the DSS over allegations that he made false claims against President Bola Tinubu by describing him as “a criminal” in posts published on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Sowore’s counsel, Raphael Adakole, informed the court that the defence had filed a motion dated June 17 and submitted on June 19 seeking to overturn the order revoking his client’s bail.

The application also seeks to vacate the bench warrant issued against Sowore and restore the position that existed before the June 16 proceedings.

Adakole told the court that the application was brought pursuant to relevant constitutional provisions, sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), and the inherent powers of the court.

He urged Justice Umar to grant the application in the interest of justice.

The defence later filed a further affidavit in response to a counter-affidavit submitted by the DSS and asked the court to disregard the prosecution’s opposition.

Counsel to the DSS, Akinkolu Kehinde (SAN), opposed the application and urged the court not to grant the reliefs sought by the defence.

According to him, Sowore had failed to place sufficient and credible facts before the court to justify the exercise of judicial discretion in his favour.

Kehinde informed the court that the DSS had filed a 25-paragraph counter-affidavit alongside a written address opposing the application.

He argued that the court should dismiss the motion and allow the earlier orders to remain in force.

Following the adjournment, Adakole made an oral request asking the court to release Sowore into the custody of his legal team pending the ruling.

He said he was holding brief for senior advocate Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika and undertook that Sowore would be produced in court on the next adjourned date.

The DSS objected to the request, arguing that such an application could not be properly made orally.

Justice Umar declined the request, observing that granting temporary release would effectively amount to determining issues already raised in the substantive application before the court.

The judge subsequently directed that the matter remain as previously adjourned.

The latest development follows Justice Umar’s order on June 22 remanding Sowore in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his application for a stay of execution of the bail revocation order.

The court had also dismissed an earlier application in which Sowore sought the judge’s recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias.

On June 16, the court revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for scheduled proceedings.

The prosecution subsequently secured his remand while the court considers his challenge to those orders.

The court is expected to deliver its ruling on June 30, a decision that could determine whether Sowore regains his bail or continues to face trial from custody.