The federal government has dropped the treasonable felony charge filed against the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had accused Mr Sowore of treason, following his call for a protest tagged #RevolutionNow, slated for August 5, 2019.
He was subsequently arrested at midnight on August 3, 2019, and was detained for five months by the State Security Services, SSS.
In November 2023, the judge handling the case, Emeka Nwite, threatened to strike out the over four-year trial if the prosecutor failed to put its act together.
Again, on Wednesday, the trial could not go on as the 1st defendant could not take his plea, following the announcement of the new prosecution lawyer, A.Y. Tahir.
However, the court was notified on the discontinuation of the case in a notice dated February 14, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
The notice reads, “By virtue of the power conferred on me under Section 174 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 107 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN intend to discontinue Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019.”
