Femi Falana SAN:?SSS SHOULD STOP EXPOSING NIGERIA TO RIDICULE
On 6/11/19, the Bailiff of the federal high court wanted to serve the order of the federal high court for the immediate release of Messrs Omoyele Sowore and Adebayo Bakare on the State Security Service.
On 6/11/19, the Bailiff of the federal high court wanted to serve the order of the federal high court for the immediate release of Messrs Omoyele Sowore and Adebayo Bakare on the State Security Service.
Under the pretext that the management had closed for the day the Court Bailiff was asked to serve the order at 10 am on 7/11/19. In the company of four members of the defence team the Court Bailiff served the order on 7/11/19.
On 6/11/19, the Bailiff of the federal high court wanted to serve the order of the federal high court for the immediate release of Messrs Omoyele Sowore and Adebayo Bakare on the State Security Service.
After the 4 lawyers had waited in vain for hours the SSS asked them to go and that they would be contacted on phone to pick up the two detainees after consultations. But the SSS never contacted the lawyers.
To our utter dismay, the SSS issued an incendiary statement on 8/11/19 wherein it was claimed that no one had shown up to receive both detainees.
Yesterday, two members of the defence team, family members and friends of both detainees reported at the headquarters of the SSS.
Yesterday, two members of the defence team, family members and friends of both detainees reported at the headquarters of the SSS.
Some journalists were also there to witness the release of both detainees. Instead of releasing both detainees to their lawyers and family members the SSS fired teargassed and shot into the air. Lawyers, family members were physically attacked by masked security operatives.
Some of the journalists were seriously injured. Having proved beyond any reasonable doubt that members of the defence team, family members and friends of the two detainees had reported in the headquarters of the SSS to receive them the story has now changed.
The SSS has now said that "It is only appropriate that those who stood surety for SOWORE present themselves and have him released to them." From the latest statement it is crystal clear that the SSS has no scores to settle with Mr. Bakare.
Hence, the SSS has decided not to invite his own sureties to collect him. It is hoped that the SSS will release him without any further delay.
With respect to Mr. Sowore, we wish to state, that the SSS has apparently constituted itself into an appellate court over high court
With respect to Mr. Sowore, we wish to state, that the SSS has apparently constituted itself into an appellate court over high court
No condition is attached to the order of the federal high court for the release of both detainees. Therefore, the SSS is aggravating the felony of contempt of court by asking sureties who had been verified by the trial court to report in its office for an illegal verification.
My colleagues and I did not risk our lives for the purpose of substituting military dictatorship for civilian autocracy. Suspects who were presumed innocent under the defunct military junta were not exposed to the crude intimidation that has become the lot of Sowore and Bakare.
Even when five of us were charged with treasonable felony in May 1992 we were released after we had met the bail conditions. On that occasion, the SSS never asked our sureties to report after they had been verified by the trial court.
With respect to the baseless allegation that I am playing to the gallery by demanding for the release of my clients in line with the valid and subsisting order of a competent law court I shall take appropriate action under the law.
