#Revolutionnow: Court fixes Dec. 5 for commencement of Sowore, Bakare’s trial

…as defendants meet bail conditions

AFederal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed December 5 for the commencement of trial of the convener of #Revolutionnow protests, Omoyele Sowore, and his codefendant, Olawale Bakare, also known as Mandate.

This followed the inability of the prosecution to serve the defence with all the documents it intends to tender in the case.

The court had slated Wednesday to commence trial in the matter. However, at the resumed hearing yesterday, counsel to the defendants, Femi Falana (SAN), objected to the commencement of trial because he said he had no access to his client while in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS).

He told the court that he had no adequate time to prepare for his defence because the secret police had not given him access to the defendants

Falana said now that the defendants had perfected the bail conditions imposed on them by the court, he could have unhindered access to the defendants to take instructions from them and prepare for their defence if they are released.

Falana told the court that he had explained to the prosecution “that we are encumbered by the refusal of the State Security Service to allow us to prepare for the defence of the defendants”.

“I had already asked my learned counsel for the prosecution, that we are confident that the defendants will be freed today (Wednesday) from the custody of the SSS having met the bail conditions imposed on them by this honourable court,” Falana told the court.

“Once they are liberated from the custody of the DSS, we will be in a position to take full instruction from them. In the circumstances, we will be asking for an adjournment to enable us take full instruction from our clients, so that we can fully prepare for our trial,” he said.

Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, and his co-defendant are facing a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit treasonable felony in breach of Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, money laundering and cybercrimes.

The second defendant, through his counsel, aligned himself with the submissions of Falana in urging the court for adjournment.

Prosecution counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN), while objecting to the application for adjournment, told the court that the DSS at no point in time restricted counsel from having access to the defendants. • Continues online at www.businessday.ng