Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has varied Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare’s bail conditions.
The court had on October 4 this year granted Sowore and Bakare bail on certain conditions, which they considered stringent and which they could not meet, prompting them to apply to the court for variation.
In a ruling on Monday, Justice Ojukwu waived the earlier requirement that one of Sowore‘s deposits N50 million as security and reduced the amount attached to Bakare’s bail from N50 million to N30 million.
Justice Ojukwu said all other conditions should remain. She said the decision to retain[Sowore and Bakare] the defendants from participating in rallies was in order in view of the nature of the case.
She adjourned till November 6 for the commencement of trial in the case, in which Sowore and Bakare are charged with among others, a treasonable felony.
The judge in a ruling on October 4, 2019 granted Sowore bail at N100 million and two sureties in the same amount, and barred him from travelling out of Abuja.
She granted Bakare bail at N50m with a surety int he same amount and barred him from travelling out of his base in Osogbo, except while coming for the trial in Abuja.
The judge added that the sureties, who must be resident in Abuja, must also have landed assets worth the bail sum in Abuja, and should deposit the original title document of the assets with the court.
Justice Ojukwu ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) pending when they are able to meet the bail conditions.
