Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and prominent activist, has entered a ‘not-guilty’ plea before Justice Musa Liman to the 17 cybercrime charges slammed on him by the Nigerian Police Force.
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).
Persecondnews reports that Sowore was taken into police custody on January 27, and held at the Intelligence Response Team detention facility in Abuja after declining the administrative bail conditions offered by the police.
Persecondnews reports that when the charges were read to him, Sowore pleaded not guilty to all 17 counts.
Count One of the charges reads: “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.”
Count Two reads: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally and knowingly caused the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore,’ and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, calling him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.’ This statement, which you knew to be false, tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle, @policeNG.
“The publication contained threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force.
“By so doing, you committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended(2024).”
Count Three reads: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 20, 2024, intentionally and knowingly sent messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore,’ and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, stating: ‘The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it.
“Just a matter of time.
#EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.’ 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.”
Following his plea, Sowore’s lawyer, Mr. Marshall Abubakar, submitted a bail application.
Justice Liman stood down the case until 3 p.m. for ruling on the application.
Author
Leave a comment