RevolutionNow Movement, on Monday alleged that the
Department of State Services, DSS, apologized to Justice Ijeoma
Ojukwu over the invasion of her courtroom by its operatives.
Falana maintained that a DSS lawyer, Hassan Liman and an
officer who led the team “profusely” apologized to the judge in
her chambers, after which they were ordered to vacate the
premises.
Recall that last Friday, DSS operatives reportedly chased out
lawyers from an Abuja Federal High Courtroom, attacked
journalists before re-arresting Sowore.
DSS, however, denied invading the courtroom before effecting
Sowore’s re-arrest.
The spokesperson of DSS, Peter Afunanya, had insisted that the
activist’s supporters had acted an “orchestrated drama” inside
the court.
Afunanya had claimed that none of its officers was involved in the
incidents recorded in the courtroom.
However, while speaking on a TVC news programme Femi Falana
maintained that Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had summoned the lead
prosecution and defence counsel into her chambers, as well as
the most senior officer of DSS, who thereafter apologised for the
invasion.
“When the court proceedings had been disrupted, the trial judge,
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu summoned the lead prosecution and
defence counsel, I was already outside when I was informed.
“My colleague who was informed that my clients were about been
arrested had left the court had to be called on the phone to come
back and we met with the judge.
“She expressed her dismay over the development and over the
illegal occupation of her courtroom. Their lawyer, Hassan Liman
SAN apologized to the judge and claimed total ignorance of the
unfortunate development. She summoned the most senior officer
of DSS who came and I know his name but won’t mention it here.
“The judge challenged him, he wanted to deny their involvement
in the court but the judge said I have my CCTV I would replay
what happened in the court, then the officer apologized profusely
for the armed invasion of her court.
“At this stage, the judge ordered him and the lawyer to remove
their men from her court, it was at that stage the officers were
withdrawn from the court because Sowore was still in the court
and they wanted to take him away.
“Listen, you do not arrest anybody in the premises of the court
because the business of the day must be concluded and the
person would have to move out of the court premises, so to say
we were not there then where were you?
“And if you were sure Sowore’s friends stage-managed the
physical brutalization which didn’t you arrest them?”
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