The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has slammed the treason charges levelled against the 10 persons arrested in connection with the 10-day #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano State.
NewsNGR had reported that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 11, granted bail of N10m to each of the protesters, saying the charges against them did not prevent them from obtaining bail.
The judge ordered the protesters to produce one surety in like sum, who will be resident in Abuja and ordered that the arrested persons desist from public rallies and remain within the jurisdiction of the court.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Sowore said the charges are aimed at wearing the victims out and discouraging other persons who might want to protest from exercising their fundamental rights.
He said, “I cannot believe that anybody in the Nigerian Judiciary would entertain treason charges against protesters.
“I am appalled by not only the position of the prosecutors, but also the judge who accepted to sit over a case in which he himself said in open court, “I don’t think this thing warrants treason”, but he granted them bail with conditions that could not be fulfilled.
“The Nigerian government with these bogus charges are just trying to obtain convictions because they know they cannot succeed at trial, even the worst kangaroo judge will ask you for evidence.
When asked about what he thinks will happen in the end, Sowore said, “Nothing will happen, there is no case there, but their strategy must be known to the public, is to drag the case for so long so that the victims will be so inconvenienced and it will discourage others who may want to exercise their rights in the future.
“They did the same thing in 2019, charged me for treason but couldn’t present evidence and restricted me to Abuja and granted me bail on conditions I could not fulfil. I’ve been in contact with them because we have been arranging legal representation for them
Sowore hinted that there will be another protest by October and urged the people not to be afraid to participate in protests as it is within their rights to do so.
“The fearless protest in October has been planned after the #EndBadGovernance protest because the government did not address the 15 issues that were requested in August, so whether I participate or not, it will happen,” Sowore said.