A Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail of N10 million on Thursday to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, in connection with alleged cybercrime charges brought by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
Justice Musa Liman, while ruling on the bail application, also ordered Sowore to deposit his passport with the court.
SaharaReporters reported on Wednesday that the trial judge remarked that requesting the applicant’s passport was standard procedure, noting that should there be an urgent need for the applicant to use the passport, he can approach the court.
Sowore is facing trial on a 16-count amended charge but has pleaded not guilty to all charges filed by the IGP Egbetokun.
On Monday, Sowore visited the Force Criminal Investigation Department to answer questions regarding his post calling the IGP “Illegal IGP.”
The police alleged that Sowore referred to Egbetokun as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” on his X (formerly Twitter) page and captioned the IGP’s picture with: _“Mediocrity, incompetence, corruption, a country run by characterless people cannot make progress.”
During the proceedings, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, filed a motion dated January 29, 2025, seeking bail on liberal terms.
“Principally, we are asking for the release of the applicant on bail on self-recognizance or the most liberal terms possible, pending the hearing and determination of the trial,” Abubakar said.
Abubakar argued that the court has discretionary powers regarding bail applications.
He stated that the defendant was invited by the police via a WhatsApp message, which he had honoured.
He also noted that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.
However, the police counsel, M. U. Jonathan, opposed the bail application, presenting a counter-affidavit deposed to by police intelligence officer Friday Ameh.
“We urge the court to dismiss the bail application. Bail cannot be granted in a vacuum,” he said.
He added that if the court were inclined to grant bail, it should impose conditions that ensure Sowore’s continued appearance at trial.
He also urged the court to mandate Sowore to deposit his passport.
The judge while ruling on the bail application said that a person has the right to bail unless there are compelling reasons to deny it.
The judge noted that the police argued that Sowore has cronies within and outside Nigeria who could allegedly interfere with the trial.
The judge also queried the prosecution for raising objections to Sowore’s bail application after the police had granted him administrative bail. He accused them of being inconsistent, speaking in favor and against the same issue simultaneously.
However, the judge ruled that the police failed to prove how Sowore could intimidate high-ranking police officers who would testify in the case.
He further stated that the prosecution did not establish any link between Sowore and the purported cronies.
The judge concluded that the bail applicant deserves his personal liberty pending the outcome of the trial.
“If the applicant desires to jump bail, it is to his own peril,” the judge remarked, noting that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.
“Bail is accordingly granted to the applicant in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum,” the judge ruled.
The judge, therefore, ordered the applicant to deposit his passport with the court.
The surety must be a responsible Nigerian citizen residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
The surety must submit an affidavit of means and title documents of landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which must be verified by the court registrar, along with a valid means of identification.
Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar, requested that his client be released to his legal team pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions within a few hours.
The judge granted Sowore a 24-hour extension to remain with his lawyers.
The case was adjourned to April 8, 2025.