Members of the Take It Back (TIB) movement, United States chapter have expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing trial of pro-democracy campaigner, former presidential candidate of African Action Congress, and founder of an online news agency, Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare.
This was contained in a open letter signed by Comrade Oladotun Ogunleye, Director of Take It Back, TIB, Movement in USA and titled: “Demand for Unconditional Discharge and Acquittal of Omoyele Sowore and Olawale”. The letter was addressed to Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
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The USA-based Nigerian pro-democracy group demands that the Minister of Justice deploys all legal instruments within his disposal for the unconditional discharge and acquittal of Sowore and Bakare, saying there is no gainsaying that the trial of Sowore and Bakare defies legal explanations.
According to TIB movement, it is usually the defendant that employs delay tactics to frustrate court proceedings and seek frivolous adjournments. “But in the case of Sowore and Bakare, it is the plaintiff, the DSS, that has been frustrating court proceedings – to the point that the Honourable Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu awarded a N200,000 damages against the DSS.
Twice, the honourable court granted bail to the defendants, and twice, those court orders were ignored until public agitations and international pressure forced their release from DSS custody, via the intervention of your good offices.
“Any keen follower of the court proceedings so far does not need to be a legal practitioner to have observed that the prosecution team is unprepared to try the defendants, judging from the wishy-washy and incoherent presentations of the prosecution witnesses.
“This can only mean one thing: that the DSS has no reliable prima facie case against the defendants and is only seeking to waste the nation’s scarce resources prosecuting these phantom charges. We are, therefore, compelled to conclude that Sowore and Bakare are being persecuted for their political actions and inactions and are being tried under extrajudicial conditions – their actions are their unrelenting calls for Good Governance in Nigeria and their inactions are their refusal to kowtow to political overtures being made to force them to abandon their agitations for Good Governance.
“It will be a shame if under your watch, the instruments of law is being used for political persecution. We want to place it on record that this phantom trial is already before the international community, with you as a principal actor.
“In view of the ongoing revolution of Nigerians against oppressive and irresponsible law enforcement agencies, we believe your priority as the chief law officer of the country, who should lead and be seen to lead the reform that Nigerians are demanding, is to ensure the defendants’ unconditional release from the undemocratic bail conditions and acquittal from the phantom charges.
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“This, we consider, is the least you could do to prove yourself worthy of the offices you occupy. Sowore, since his Gestapo-esque arrest, illegal detention, and phantom trial has displayed rare patriotism and good citizenship in his prompt attendance at court proceedings – unlike Abdulrasheed Maina, the court fugitive who has enjoyed state protection through your active collaboration.
“Honourable minister, one lesson that should not be lost on anyone, and which the Take It Back, TIB, movement, will continue to promote, is that Nigeria belongs to all of us, not the exclusive preserve of the privileged few in power. The TIB movement will never back down from its quest to make Nigeria an egalitarian society because history tells us we shall win and posterity urges us to forge ahead.
“Of course, every of our actions is inspired and guided by the spirit of good citizenship and we hope this letter encourages you to do what is right as a good citizen of Nigeria and as someone empowered with the responsibility of guaranteeing justice for all Nigerians.” Oladotun Ogunleye submitted.
