The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the charges of treasonable felony against the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling on Monday, following a notice of discontinuance filed by the Federal Government through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The judge ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to return three phones and N10,000 seized from Sowore during his arrest.
The court will return his passport, and the title deeds collected from him in respect of the bail earlier granted him by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.
Justice Nwite also ordered DSS to release one phone and N1500 to the second defendant, Bakare.
The counsel to the Ministry of Justice submitted the AGF’s notice of discontinuance.
The Application reads:
“By the power of the Attorney General of the Federation under section 174 (1) part 4 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and section 107 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to discontinue the charge FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019 against the defendants. Since hearing in the matter is yet to commence, we urge this honourable court to strike out this matter.”
Replying to the application, Counsel to the defendants, Femi Falana confirmed the notice was filed and served to them.
He added that contrary to the submission of the Ministry of Justice, the case is part-heard in the presence of Justice Ojukwu.
Falana appreciated the position of the AGF. He said,
“This matter ought to be dismissed, however, I wish to appreciate the position of Mr Lateef Fagbemi for taking a hint from this honourable court during the last adjournment that this matter will be dismissed.
“We extend our profound gratitude to this honourable court for the threat to have this matter dismissed for want of diligence prosecution, I won’t be asking for cost since my clients have been standing trial since 2019. We want the court to return the telephone, the sum of 10, 000 and his international passport, as well as the title deeds submitted for his bail.”
Sowore and Bakare were arrested in August 2019 for planning a nationwide protest called #RevolutionNow, which the government considered a threat to national security.
They were initially charged with a seven-count charge of treasonable felony, cyberstalking, money laundering, and insulting the president. Still, the charges were later reduced to a two-count charge of treasonable felony.
Sowore and Bakare had pleaded not guilty and were granted bail on several conditions, but they remained in custody for months until they were released in December 2019 after a court order.
They were rearrested the next day at the Federal High Court premises in a dramatic manner by the DSS operatives, sparking outrage and condemnation from local and international human rights groups.
They were later rereleased in January 2020 after another court order.
Since then, their trial had been stalled by several adjournments and the absence of the prosecution.
The court had threatened to strike out the case if the prosecution failed to appear on February 19, 2024.