Court Orders Omoyele Sowore, Others to Remain in Detention

Mr Sowore was arrested alongside four protesters during a #CrossOverProtest held on the eve of new year day in Abuja.

After spending four days in detention, the accused were arraigned by the police before the Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate court on Monday, 4 on charges of unlawful assembly, criminal conspiracy and inciting violence.

Taye Maibel, in her judgement on Monday, ordered that the accused be transferred to Kuje Correctional Prison detention till Tuesday when the court will hear the bail application.

However, Ms Maibel, in a fresh judgement on Tuesday evening, after listening to the counsels of the parties involved, again ordered that Mr Sowore and other protesters be transferred to Force CIID in Area 10, in Abuja.

In his counter argument, Mr Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, from Femi Falana Chambers, argued that his colleague’s point was not relevant as “there have been cases where defendants filed joint affidavits.”

To drive home his argument before the magistrate who nodded in agreement, Mr Abubakar, cited Sambo Dasuki and James Ibori among the popular cases where defendants filed joint affidavits without legal backlash from court.

However, against the defendants’ argument, the judge ruled that Mr Sowore should be returned to detention to afford parties involved time to study the case.

Taking into consideration defendants’ complaint of unfair treatment and denied access to clothing and medical care by officials of Kuje prison service, the court thereby gave Mr Sowore options of being taken to the Police Force CIID in Area 10 and SARS Headquarters in Abbatoir, Abuja.

Ms Maibel also ordered that Damilare Adenola, a law student at the University of Abuja, arrested alongside Mr Sowore, be to granted access to gadgets and writing materials so as to catch up with other students cleared to receive lectures online