Court orders DSS to release Sowore within 24 hours

The Department of State Security (DSS) has been ordered to within 24 hours release Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.

The ultimatum was handed to the DSS by the Abuja Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on Thursday.

The judge gave the order as the court resumed on Thursday to commence the defendants’ trial on charges of treasonable felony as earlier scheduled.

She said the DSS had no justifiable reason to still keep the defendants in its custody after she signed the warrants for the defendants’ release.

Consequently, the judge adjourned the trial till Friday.

According to the judge, the prosecution was the reason for the adjournment for failing to comply with the November 6 order of the court to serve some documents on the defence team led by Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).

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Justice Ojukwu further awarded the cost of N100,000 against the prosecution to be paid to the defendants for foisting “frivolous adjournment” on the court.

She said the cost must be paid before the next hearing which is Friday.

Not minding the court order, the DSS which brought the defendants to court, returned with them at the end of court proceedings.

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