Treasonable Felony: Sowore declines to enter plea

Detained convener of the #RevolutionNow Protest, Mr Omoyele Sowore, has declined to enter his plea to the seven-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

Sowore, who has been in detention since August 3, was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Service, DSS.

Even though he mounted the dock alongside his co-defendant, Olawale Adebayo Bakare (aka Mandate), Sowore, challenged his planned arraignment, when the DSS failed to comply with an order the court made for his immediate release.

Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the last general election, further told to court that he was not duly served with a copy of the charge against him.

He addressed the court through his lawyer, Mr. Olumide Fusika, SAN, decried what he termed as an act of lawlessness by the security agency which he said refused to obey the directive of the same court that granted it leave to detain him for 45 days.

READ: Nigerian govt arraigns Omoyele Sowore

Fusika told the court that Sowore’s lead counsel, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, got to know about the arraignment from reports in the Newspaper, despite the fact that he was at the office of the DSS till 10pm on Sunday.

Meanwhile, FG’s lawyer, Mr. Hassan Liman, SAN, told the court that the defendants were duly served with the charge on September 20.

Liman argued that the high court only ordered that Sowore should be released until his arraignment.

He argued that the release order has elapsed since the defendants have been brought before the court for arraignment.

Besides, the prosecution contended that the charge was already served on the defendants before the court ordered Sowore’s release on September 24. Meanwhile, trial Justice Ijeoma Ekwo is presently writing her ruling on the matter. FG had charged Sowore and his co-defendant with conspiracy. money laundering, cyber-stalking and allegation that he insulted President Muhammadu Buhari.

In the statement of offence that was attached to count-one of the charge marked FHC/ ABJ/CR/235/2019, FG, alleged that the defendants committed conspiracy to commit treasonable felony, contrary to section 516 of the criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same section of the Act.

“That you Omoyele Stephen Sowore , Male Adult of No 1 Mosafejo Street, Kiribo, Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo State, Olawale Adebayo Bakare  {aka Mandate} Male, Adult of Olaiya Arca, Oshogbo LGA Osun State and others at large, under the eagis of Coalition for Revolution (CORE), sometimes in August 2019 in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspired amongst yourselves to stage a revolution campaign on 5th day of August 2019 tagged #RevolutionNow”  aimed at removing the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during his term of office otherwise known than by constitutional means”.

FG further accused Sowore of committing “cyberstalking”, contrary to section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act. He was charged with legal transfer of funds contrary to section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

FG alleged that Sowore had on April 2, at Lagos and Abuja, transferred by means of swift wire, the sum of $19, 975 from his  United Bank of Africa Plc Account No. 3002246104 credited by City Bank, New York City, USA, into Sahara Reporters Media Foundations GTB Account No. 0424048298 with the aim of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the funds, It alleged that he also transferred $16, 975 from the same UBA Account credited to him by LANDRUM of 7e 146 W 29thStreeet, New York, NY10001, USA, via City Bank Plc, the aim to conceal the illicit origin of the funds.

The charge, which was endorsed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, was signed by a senior state counsel, Mr. A.M. Alilu. FG has already lined-up six witnesses against the defendants, including bank officials from UBA and GTB.

The DSS had earlier told the court that Sowore got foreign sponsorship to wage war against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

It tendered evidence to prove that Sowore held meetings with both the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN. Nigeria News