Heated arguments re-surfaced Wednesday at the resumed trial of the convener #RevolutionNow and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore was arraigned alongside Olawale Bakare by the DSS over the #RevolutionNow protest at the Federal High Court in Abuja for treasonable felony charge.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had on October 21, varied the bail conditions granted Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.
Ojukwu had in a ruling on the application granted the order for a bail variation by the duo. The judge nevertheless waived the earlier requirement that Sowore should deposit N50million as security and reduced the amount attached to Bakare’s bail.
Opening the proceedings at the Wednesday trial, counsel to the DSS Hassan Liman (SAN) told the court that the agency was ready to commence the trial in line with the pronouncement of the court in the last sitting.
Countering, defence counsel to the 1st defendant, Femi Falana(SAN) raised objection and prayed the court for adjournment of the matter, arguing that his client was encumbered by the refusal of the DSS to allow them prepare for the defence of the defendants.
Falana, therefore, prayed the court to grant its application for adjournment to enable them take full instructions from their clients in order to prepare them for trial.
But counsel to the DSS, Liman objected to the application for adjournment, arguing that before now, the defendants counsel had ample time to perfect the bail conditions and prepare for the trial.
Liman also disagreed with Falana that the DSS had not given them opportunity to meet the defendants, saying they were actually given unrestricted access each time they wanted to see them.
However, a mild drama ensued in the court-room when Falana told Justice Ojukwu that the prosecution counsel had told him before the commencement of the trial that their witnesses would be taken in camera.
He said Liman’s statement was evident with the setting up of screen shield by the witness box close to the judge’s door.
Falana said, “I was told that the witnesses will come in through My Lord’s door to the screen shield where they will testify.
“They have made arrangement with the deputy chief registrar to take the witnesses on camera without our knowledge.
“This is an ambush. But all of a sudden, the court Clark dismantled the shield,”he held further.
Falana insisted that it was when Liman’s discovered that the plan would not work that he approached him for cooperation, saying that the act was meant to embarrass the court and the defendants.
The presiding Judge has since adjourned to December 5 and 6 for commencement of trial.
