Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, yesterday opened his defence in his alleged criminal defamation trial after the Department of State Services (DSS) urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to remand him for failing to fully perfect his bail conditions.
   
At the resumed hearing before Justice Mohammed Umar, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), told the court that Sowore had yet to comply with the bail terms earlier granted to him and urged the court to commit him to the Kuje Correctional Centre pending compliance.
   
Kehinde argued that court orders must be obeyed, stressing that Sowore neither fulfilled the bail conditions nor sought a variation of the terms.
   
“The defendant was released to his lawyer to enable him to deposit his passport with the court. That has not been done, and the other conditions have not been met either. The law is trite; there should be no sentiment,” he submitted.
   
However, Sowore’s lawyer, Olumide Fusika, opposed the application, arguing that bail is intended to secure an accused person’s attendance in court, not to punish them.
   
Fusika told the court that verification of the bail documents had been substantially completed and assured Justice Umar that Sowore’s passport would be deposited before the close of work on Monday.
   
He explained that retrieving the passport from the United States Embassy in Lagos was delayed because the mission had observed the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations and was closed on Friday.
   
The defence counsel urged the court to allow Sowore to remain in his custody until the next hearing, assuring that all outstanding bail requirements would be met.
   
Consequently, Justice Umar declined the request for immediate remand and allowed Sowore to remain with his counsel.
   
Meanwhile, in his evidence, Adeyanju told the court that President Bola Tinubu, during an official engagement in Benue State, publicly stated that Nigerians have the right to criticise, insult, and call him names, urging security agencies to respect citizens’ democratic rights.
   
According to the witness, the president also said the judiciary should serve as the guardian of the people and not be used as a tool to oppress critics. The defence tendered video recordings of the president’s remarks on a flash drive, which the court admitted as exhibits.
   
The case was adjourned until July 13 for the continuation of the defence.
   
Meanwhile, Sowore told newsmen after the proceedings that the case against him was politically motivated and formed part of a broader campaign to silence his voice and activism.
  
“I’m not appearing here because I committed any crime,” he stated. “I’m in court, and I’m being persecuted because I decided to stand up to be counted on the side of rights in this country.”
   
He added, “I will never be part of the people who will steal your money. I will never be part of the people who will murder somebody because they don’t agree with me. I will never be in this country, or be a citizen of any country in the world, particularly Nigeria, and watch while they sink your destinies.”