A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2 area of Abuja on Tuesday adjourned till Friday, the ruling on the bail application filed by the convener of #RevolutionNow protest and publisher of Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore, and four others.
The others are Juwon Sanyaolu, Peter Williams, Emmanuel Bulus and Damilare Adenola.
The accused are standing trial for alleged unlawful participation in a protest on New Year eve.
The magistrate, Mrs Mabel Segun-Bello, directed that they should be transferred from Kuje Correctional Center, where they were previously remanded, to the Force Criminal Investigation Department at Garki Area 10, Abuja.
Sowore, who arrived at the court in handcuffs, had through his lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, complained about degrading treatment to which they were subjected at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Following his complaint, aside from changing their place of remand, the court directed that the police should provide the third defendant, Adenola, a law student at the University of Abuja, with internet facilities and writing materials, to enable him to prepare for his examination.
The orders came after the court heard arguments from both the prosecution counsel, Adama Musa and Abubakar.
While Abubakar urged the court to grant the defendants bail, the prosecution opposed the request.
Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2019 general election was arrested on New Year eve.
The police had in the three counts alleged that the defendants were arrested with placards demanding a violent revolution against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd).
The charges to which they pleaded not guilty to bordered on criminal conspiracy and unlawful assembly.
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has dragged the Federal Government before the United Nation over the alleged torture and detention of Sowore and the four co-defendants.
The group, in its petition, also urged the UN working group to prevail upon the Federal Government to withdraw its charges against Sowore and his co-defendants and release them immediately and unconditionally.
Punch
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