Federal Government Seeks Live Jail for Sowore Over Treason Allegation

BY LEVI JOHNSON

As the Abuja Court resumes on Wednesday for the treasonable trial of the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore, the Prosecutor is seeking permission from the court to allow the witnesses against Sowore to be on mask.

The prosecutor, office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is charging Sowore and his associate, Olawale Bakare with treasonable felony, fraud, cyberstalking, among others.

This was seen in a motion on notice filed on March 5 by A. K. Alilu.

The prosecutor is seeking for order among others to“excluding persons other than parties and their legal representatives, with the exception of the accredited members of the press at the hearing of the above-named charge.

I “An order directing that the court should be vacated whenever the prosecution witnesses are coming to testify in the screen or be masked and that only the trial judge, parties and their legal representatives, with the exception of the accredited members of the press, will see the witnesses when they are testifying.

“An order directing that the real names and addresses of prosecution witnesses in the proceedings shall not be disclosed.”

It a supporting affidavit, it explained that its intention to shield the witnesses was informed among others, by the fact that the defendants are being tried for serious offences that could attract life imprisonment on conviction.

READ ALSO: Court Adjoins Sowore’s Trial To 11,12,13 March

It said its witnesses are afraid to testify or give evidence in the open, unless they are protected, for fear of being murdered by the defendants, their cohorts or members of the “Revolution Now” protest group across the country.

”The witnesses are mainly officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), who investigated the case.”

”The witnesses are reluctant to come an give evidence for fear of being attacked by the other members of the “Revolution Now” protest group,” Prosecutor said.