Sowore Yet to Perfect New Bail Conditions

The convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, has yet to perfect his bail conditions.

However, his lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, said on Friday that they were making efforts to meet the bail conditions.

He said, “We are finalising the bail conditions.”

Falana dropped the hint that they might approach the Supreme Court seeking to overrule the lower court.

“When he comes out, we will address what happens to his being restricted to Abuja because he has no house in Abuja,” he added.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had varied the bail conditions granted Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu granted the order in a ruling on the application for bail variation by the duo charged with treasonable felony among others.

She waived the earlier requirements that one of Sowore’s sureties should deposit N50m as security. She also reduced the amount attached to Bakare’s bail from N50m to N20m.

The court on October 4 granted them bail on certain conditions, which the applicants considered stringent and decided to approach the court for variation.

Justice Ojukwu, however, refused to vary all other bail conditions.

She said the decision to restrain the defendants from participating in rallies was in order in view of the nature of the case.

She adjourned till November 6 and 7 for the commencement of trial.

The judge had in a ruling on October 4 granted Sowore bail in the sum of N100m and two sureties in the same amount, and barred him from travelling out of Abuja.

She ordered one of Sowore’s sureties to deposit N50m in the bank account of the court as security.

She granted Bakare bail in the sum of N50m with a surety in the same amount and barred him from travelling out of his base in Osogbo, except while coming for the trial in Abuja.

The judge added that the sureties, who must be resident in Abuja, must also have landed property worth the bail sum in Abuja, and should deposit the documents of title of the assets with the court.

She added that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services pending when they were able to meet the bail conditions.

Earlier, Falana informed the court that the motion was in respect of an aspect of the bail which required one of the sureties to deposit N50m.

He cited the case of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) where the court imposed the same conditions and the Court of Appeal ruled that the conditions were excessive.

Falana averred that the appeal court held that bail conditions granted must be workable, bearable and not difficult to meet.

He also referred to the ruling of Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who had ordered the Department of State Service to release Sowore to him after he deposited his passport with the court.

He added that the order had not been set aside till date.

On the order restricting Sowore to Abuja, Falana urged the court to review the order on the grounds that his client had no house in Abuja to stay pending the hearing and determination of the suit.