Court grants activist Omoyele Sowore N200m bail in his cybercrime trial, with new conditions including sureties and a passport deposit
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, N200 million bail in his ongoing cybercrime trial.
Justice Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, restored Sowore’s bail on Tuesday with fresh conditions after revoking it earlier this month.
According to Sahara Reporters, Umar ordered that Sowore provide two sureties. One surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The judge also ordered Sowore to deposit his passport with the court registrar pending determination of the case.
Why Sowore’s bail was revoked
The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore on a two-count charge over a social media post in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal” on his X and Facebook accounts. Sowore has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court had earlier granted him bail on self-recognition. However, on June 16, Umar revoked that bail and issued a warrant of arrest against Sowore after he failed to appear in court for proceedings that day. The judge held that a letter seeking an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf did not state reasons for his absence.
On June 22, Umar ordered Sowore remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his application challenging the bail revocation. The judge also dismissed a separate application by Sowore seeking his recusal from the case on grounds of alleged bias.
Fresh bail conditions
With Tuesday’s ruling, Sowore’s N200 million bail has now been restored, but under tighter terms than before. The requirement for a traditional ruler as one of two sureties, combined with the FCT property-ownership condition for the second surety, sets a notably higher bar than the self-recognition bail he was granted at the start of the trial.
The passport deposit also restricts Sowore’s movement while the case proceeds, a condition that was not part of the original bail terms.
The case continues, with the underlying charge centred on Sowore’s description of President Tinubu as “a criminal” in a social media post yet to be determined.
