The Federal High Court in Abuja has restored the bail of activist, publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, in his ongoing alleged cybercrime case.
Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the ruling on Tuesday, granting Sowore fresh bail in the sum of ₦200 million with strict conditions attached.
Fresh Bail Conditions
The court ordered Sowore to provide two sureties in the same amount of ₦200 million each. According to the ruling:
- One surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community.
- The second surety must be an individual who owns verified landed property in Abuja.
- Both sureties are to be verified by the prosecution before the bail takes effect.
- Sowore must also deposit his international passport with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court pending the conclusion of the trial.
Why the Court Granted Fresh Bail
Justice Umar noted that the court considered Sowore’s decision to voluntarily return and submit himself to the judicial process instead of waiting to be arrested. This influenced the court’s decision to restore his bail despite its earlier revocation.
The court had previously revoked Sowore’s bail on June 16 after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. A bench warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest, and he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sowore later approached the court, asking it to restore his bail and set aside the arrest warrant. He maintained that he had valid reasons for his absence and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Following Tuesday’s ruling, the judge released Sowore to his legal team to enable him to meet the bail conditions. The case was adjourned until Monday, July 6, when the defence is expected to begin presenting its case.
According to the prosecution, Sowore is standing trial over allegations of cybercrime and criminal defamation linked to social media posts. He has denied all the allegations, and the matter remains before the court for determination.
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