DSS gets 24-hour ultimatum to release Sowore, Bakare

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has given the Department of State Service (DSS) 24 hours ultimatum to release the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.

The Federal Government is pressing seven-count charges against Sowore and Bakare for treasonable felony, cybercrime and money laundering after their planned protest was aborted by security agencies on August 5, 2019.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in her order given on Thursday when the matter came up, noted that, after she had signed the warrants for the release of the defendants from custody, and same was served on the defendants, the DSS had no justifiable reason to continue to hold them in custody.

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Justice Ojukwu, who adjourned the matter till Friday for the commencement of trial, blamed the development on the prosecution which she said failed to comply with the order of the court given on November 6, 2019, directing them to serve some processes on the defence team led by Femi Falana (SAN).

The court awarded the cost of N100,000 against the prosecution to be paid to the defendants for foisting adjournment on the court and ordered that the cost must be paid before the next hearing which is Friday.