A Federal High Court in Abuja, the nation’s capital, has adjourned the trial of the co-convener of Revolution Now, Omoyele Sowore, to February 13, 2020, for arraignment, awards N200,000 against the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, over frivolous adjournments.
The court adjourned after the prosecutor urged the court to grant an adjournment till Wednesday to enable them effect service of the amended charges on the defendants.
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, former Nigerian Senator, Shehu Sani, and a host of others were seen present at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in solidarity with the co-convener of the Revolution Now protest, Omoyele Sowore.
At the resumed trial, the prosecution counsel, Aminu Alilu, informed the court that the office of the Attorney General of the Federation has taken over the prosecution of the case and has filed amended charges but yet to effect service of the charges on the defendants.
Counsel for the defendants, Adeyinka Olumide (SAN), in opposition, debunked the claim by the prosecutor on the ground that the prosecution team had served them processes before now .
But they are not in a position to continue the matter on Thursday as they are yet to serve them the list and statements of their witnesses despite the order of the court to do so.
He urged the court to strike out the suit for want of diligent prosecution.
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He further said that the prosecution is using delay tactics in order to punish the defendants, who are forced to stay in Abuja, at the mercy of friends and well wishers.
But the Prosecutor asked the court to discountenance the application to strike out the suit and urged the court to grant an adjournment till Wednesday to enable them effect service of the amended charges on the defendants.
Ruling on the application, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that the application for adjournment is frivolous. She therefore ordered the prosecution to pay a sum of N200, 000 as cost to the defendants for the frivolous application for adjournment
Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, trial resumed on Tuesday having been stalled on February 11, due to the absence if the trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.
Sowore was arrested on August 3, 2019, by the Department of State Services (DSS), and was in custody until December 24, 2019, when he was eventually released on the orders of the Attorney General of the Federation who directed the DSS to comply with the orders of the court which granted him bail.
Both are facing trial over charges of a treasonable felony for organising the revolution now protest on August 5, 2019.
