BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
Human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore has been granted N10 million bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja in the alleged cybercrime charges instituted against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Justice Musa Liman granted him bail on Thursday with several conditions, including the requirement to deposit his international passport with the court.
Sowore was on Wednesday arraigned before the court on a 16-count amended charge but pleaded not guilty to the charges filed by the Inspector General of Police.
The police alleged that Sowore referred to Egbetokun as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” on his X (formerly Twitter) page.
During the proceedings, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, filed a motion dated January 29, 2025, seeking bail on liberal terms.
“Principally, we are asking for the release of the applicant on bail on self-recognition or the most liberal terms possible, pending the hearing and determination of the trial,” Abubakar said.
Abubakar argued that the court has discretionary powers regarding bail applications.
He stated that the defendant was invited by the police via a WhatsApp message, which he honored.
He also noted that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.
However, the police counsel, Uddy Jonathan, opposed the bail application, presenting a counter-affidavit deposed by police intelligence officer Friday Ameh.
“We urge the court to dismiss the bail application. Bail cannot be granted in a vacuum,” he said.
He added that if the court were inclined to grant bail, it should impose conditions that ensure Sowore’s continued appearance at trial.
He also urged the court to mandate Sowore to deposit his international passport.
Ruling on the bail application on Thursday, the judge stated that a person has the right to bail unless there are compelling reasons to deny it.
The judge noted that the police argued that Sowore had cronies within and outside Nigeria who could allegedly interfere with the trial.
However, the judge ruled that the police failed to prove how Sowore could intimidate high-ranking police officers who would testify in the case.
He further stated that the prosecution did not establish any link between Sowore and the purported cronies.
The judge concluded that the bail applicant deserves his personal liberty pending the outcome of the trial.
“If the applicant desires to jump bail, it is to his own peril,”the judge remarked, noting that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.
“Bail is accordingly granted to the applicant in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum,” the judge ruled.
Additionally, the judge ordered that “the applicant must deposit his international passport with the court.
The surety must be a responsible Nigerian citizen residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
“The surety must submit an affidavit of means and title documents of landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which must be verified by the court registrar, along with a valid means of identification.”
Following the ruling, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, requested that his client be released to his legal team pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions within a few hours.
The judge, however, granted Sowore a 24-hour extension to remain with his lawyers and adjourned the case to April 8, 2025.
