Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 23023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, who had been detained detained at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) detention facility in Abuja since Monday, after refusing to accept the administrative bail conditions granted to him by the police over alleged cybercrime, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty to the seventeen-count cybercrime charges brought against him by the Police.
After honouring a police invitation to the Force Intelligence Headquarters in Abuja over allegations of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyber stalking, and actions allegedly aimed at preventing arrests, Sowore was detained at the IRT detention facility in Abuja on Monday, after refusing to accept the administrative bail conditions granted to him by the police.
The Publisher of Sahara Reporters was, however, arraigned before Justice Musa Liman to take his plea on Wednesday.
When the charges were read to him, Sowore pleaded not guilty to all seventeen counts.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had filed the charges against Sowore for allegedly calling him an “illegal IGP” on his verified X handle (formerly Twitter).
Count One of the charge read, “That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore,’ and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.’
”This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.”
Among those present in court were former senator, Shehu Sani, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, the Country Director, Action Aid, Andrew Mamedu, and his predecessor, Ene Obi.
Also, some Nigerian youths and members of the Mr Sowore-led Take It Back Movement (TIB) thronged the court in support of the human rights activist.
Meanwhile, Sowore, has described the charges as ridiculous.
“These have to be some of the most ridiculous charges ever filed by Nigerian law enforcement agents. Omoyele Sowore to face charges for calling retired and fired IGP Kayode Egbetokun ‘Illegal IGP’,” Sowore in a message he circulated via his Whatsapp line on Tuesday.
Sowore also mocked the charges in a Faceboook post, portraying blunders in the filling as justifying his accusation that Egbetokun was incompetent.
“Sowore claimed IG of Nigeria Police Force, KAYODE Egbetokun, was illegal and incompetent, then he quickly moved to court to file charges for cybercrime, with incorrect spellings of Sowore’s 1st name and wrong spelling of ‘incite’.” Sowore wrote on Facebook Tuesday night.
A review of the charges by NEW DAILY PRIME shows that Sowore’s first name was misspelt as “Omoleye” instead of “Omoyele” across the 17 counts.
