Court Rejects Police Request For More Time Over Sowore’s Bail Application

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abuja has rejected the request by the Nigerian police for more time to enable the force to study the formal bail application filed by the human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, and four others.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the presiding magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, stood down the matter for two hours and directed the police lawyer, Adamu Musa, who was holding brief for James Idachaba, to go through the bail application.

The prosecution counsel earlier told the court that he was not ready for the bail application filed by the defence counsel, Marshal Abubakar, stating that they were not served within the stipulated time as ordered by the court.

He said they were served around 10.53am in the court, noting that there were issues of fact that needed their response in the application.

All efforts by the prosecution to seek adjournment were turned down by the court as the magistrate said that she had taken a judicial notice of the complaints and therefore gave the prosecution counsel two hours to peruse the application.

The matter will resume in the next two hours.

Recall that the activists were brought to court in handcuffs from the Kuje Correctional Centre.

Their lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, upon their arrival was visibly angered by the action of the prison officials and demanded the removal of the handcuffs, adding that his clients were not criminals.

The activists are standing trial on trumped-up charges of alleged criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and inciting public disturbance.