An Abuja Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2 has granted bail to the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore bail at N20million.
Sowore and four others – Peter Williams, Sanyaolu Juwon, Emmanuel Bulus and Damilare Adenola – were arraigned before the court on January 4, 2021, on a three-count charge filed by the police, following which the court ordered their remand.
In a ruling on Monday, Magistrate Mabel Segun-Bello held that the defendants were entitled to bail, had not resisted arrest while being apprehended by the police.
Segun Mabel particularly ordered that the first defendant (Sowore) should be admitted to bail N20m with two sureties in like sum.
She added that one of the sureties must be a civil servant, not below Grade Level 12 in the federal civil service.
The Magistrate further ordered that Sowore must report physically to the Chief Registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) or any other person designated by the Chief Registrar, every Monday and Friday mornings until the end of the case.
For the other four defendants, the Magistrates said they should be granted bail after endorsing a bond of N1m each.
In addition, each of them is to produce one surety in like sum, who “must be resident in Abuja with an identifiable workplace and residential address”.
“All defendants must not travel outside Abuja metropolis or outside the country pending the determination of the case,” Segun-Bello said.
Sowore and others were arrested on New Year’s Eve over their involvement in a protest over the ban on crossover night activities.
They were arraigned on January 4, 2021, on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly and public disturbance.
Following their plea of not guilty, Magistrate Segun-Bello ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje correctional centre, pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications.
After their appearance in court last Tuesday, the Magistrate ordered that they be transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) after Sowore complained that they were denied access to healthcare, food, and water.
Sowore not leaving Kuje Prison quickly, court grants harsh bail conditions
By Abankula
Freedom for Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters may take more days as a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja has granted him stringent bail conditions, that he will find difficult to fulfil.
The court, presided over by Mabel Segun-Bello granted the Sahara Reporters publisher N20million bail and two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a federal civil servant not below grade level 12.
The difficulty will be in getting a civil servant with N20million.
While ruling on the bail application filed by Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, the Chief Magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, ruled that the sureties must reside in Abuja metropolis with landed properties and known addresses.
Among the conditions of bail is that Sowore must physically report to the registrar of Federal Capital Territory High Court every Monday and Friday pending the determination of the case against him.
He is also not expected to travel outside Abuja and the country.
However, the 2nd to 5th defendants were admitted to less stringent bail in the sum of N1million and one surety in like sum.
Those arrested with Sowore on New Year’s eve were Peter Williams, Sanyaolu Juwon, Emmanuel Bulus and Damilare.
The judge has adjourned the matter till 5 February for trial.
The activists were arrested and brutalised by armed policemen on crossover night, December 31, 2020, for organising a candlelight procession to celebrate New Year at Gudu junction in Abuja.
They were first arraigned on 4 January, charged with unlawful assembly, and inciting public disturbance.
The court then ordered the activists to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre.

By Eric Ikhilae