A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, threatened to jail the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, over the continued detention of the duo of Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement and publisher of Sahara Reporters and Olawale Bakare, an activist.
Ijeoma Ojukwu, the judge gave the warning on Monday.
The judge on November 12, 2019, had previously issued a “notice of consequences of disobedience of court order on the DSS.
The notice of consequence of disobedience of court order marked FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 was directed to the Director-General of the State Security Services in pursuant to order IX, rule (1-3) of the judgement (enforcement) rules, SECTION 72, of the sheriff and Civil Services process Act, 2004 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court.
The notice signed by the Court registrar reads:“Take notice that unless you obey the direction contained in the order of the federal high court of Justice, Abuja made on the 6th November 2019, which ordered you to release the defendants/applicants in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 forthwith, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison,” the notice read.
“A copy of the said order of court earlier served on you is hereby annexed for your on the spot reference.
“This court has been informed that even as at today, Tuesday the 12th November 2019 you are yet to comply with the lawful order of the Federal High Court by refusing to release the defendants/applicants namely: Omoyele Stephen Sowore and Olawale Adebayo Bakare (Mandate) in your custody.
“You are hereby directed to comply with the court order forthwith or you will be guilty of contempt of court.”
Recall that Sowore has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for 115 days after he was arrested in Lagos, August 3, 2019.
He was arraigned alongside Olawale Bakare on a seven-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, cyberstalking, and money laundering.
Tribune Online recalls Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu granted bail at N100million and two sureties in the same amount and barred from travelling out of Abuja.
and then