The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday restored the bail of activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, admitting him to bail in the sum of N200 million in his ongoing cybercrime trial.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the application with fresh conditions following an earlier decision revoking Sowore’s bail.
Under the new terms, the defendant is required to produce two sureties. One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community, while the other must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory.
The court also directed Sowore to surrender his international passport to the court registrar pending the conclusion of the trial.
The activist is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services on a two-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.
The charges stem from social media posts on X and Facebook in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
Sowore has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court had initially granted him bail on self-recognition before revoking the order on June 16 after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing.
Justice Umar ruled at the time that the letter seeking an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf did not sufficiently explain his absence and consequently issued a warrant for his arrest.
Following his arrest, the court on June 22 ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centrepending the hearing of his application challenging the revocation of his bail.
The judge had also dismissed an application by Sowore requesting that he withdraw from the case over allegations of bias.
