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Court grants Omoyele Sowore N10m bail in cybercrime case

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore bail in the sum of N10 million in the cybercrime charges filed against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Justice Musa Liman delivered the ruling on Thursday, imposing several conditions, including the surrender of Sowore’s international passport to the court.

Sowore was arraigned on a 16-count amended charge and pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him by IGP Kayode Egbetokun on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

His arraignment followed an invitation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department, where he was questioned over alleged defamatory remarks against the IGP.

The police accused Sowore of describing IGP Egbetokun as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” on his X (formerly Twitter) page and posting a caption under the IGP’s photo that read: “Mediocrity, incompetence, corruption, a country run by characterless people cannot make progress.”

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 argued, emphasizing the court’s discretion over bail applications.

READ ALSO: Sowore’s arrest sparks debate on Police checkpoints, corruption, and citizen harassment

He also highlighted that Sowore had voluntarily honored a police invitation via a WhatsApp message and was previously granted administrative bail.

However, police counsel M. Uddy Jonathan opposed the application, submitting a counter-affidavit from police intelligence officer Friday Ameh. Jonathan urged the court to dismiss the application, arguing that bail should not be granted in a vacuum. He further requested that if bail were granted, it should include conditions ensuring Sowore’s continued appearance in court, including the surrender of his international passport.

In his ruling, Justice Liman reaffirmed the defendant’s right to bail unless there were compelling reasons to deny it.

The judge dismissed the prosecution’s claim that Sowore had associates who could interfere with the trial, stating that the police failed to prove how Sowore could intimidate senior police officers testifying in the case. Additionally, the prosecution did not establish a link between Sowore and the alleged associates.

Justice Liman ruled that Sowore deserved personal liberty pending the trial’s outcome, remarking, “If the applicant desires to jump bail, it is to his own peril.” The judge also noted that the police had previously granted administrative bail to Sowore, further justifying his decision to approve the bail application.

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The court granted Sowore bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum. Additional conditions include: 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.

Following the ruling, Abubakar requested the immediate release of Sowore to his legal team pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions. In response, the judge granted a 24-hour extension allowing Sowore to remain with his lawyers while arrangements were made.

The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2025, for further proceedings.

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