The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has explained the circumstances leading to the arrest and charging to court of a lawyer, Mr Abubakar Marshall, who stood as surety to Sahara Reporters publisher, Mr Omoyele Sowore and got him released on bail.
The FCT Command, however, disclosed that the surety has betrayed the confidence the police reposed on him as he failed to return Sowore to the police as earlier promised.
The Command added that the failure of Marshall to produce Sowore led to the lawyer’s arrest.
The FCT Command’s clarification was sequel to the false narrative in the social media over the arrest of the Sowore’ surety, Marshall.
Confirming the arrest of the lawyer, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh, said Sowore’s surety, Abubakar Marshall, was arrested and “charged to court following his failure to produce the suspect.”According to her, “The development is in line with standard best practices.”
It would be recalled that Sowore was arrested on February 24, 2022, as a result of a petition against Sahara Reporters Foundation and Mr Omoyele Sowore for criminal defamation, injurious falsehood and publication of false news, contrary to section 391, 392, 393, 394, 395 and 418 of the Penal code of Northern Nigeria” by a former member of the House of Representatives, Prince Ned Nwoko, through his lawyers at the Trifold Law & Partners.
It was further gathered that after getting Sowore released on bail, all efforts to get the surety to return Sowore to the Police proved abortive. The surety was also said to have failed to pick his calls or respond to text messages.
The petition, which signed by Bar Bryan Ukaegbu on behalf of Trifold Law & Partners, further accused Sowore of several defamatory and libelous publications through his news outfit-Sahara Reporters.
The law firm added the false publications were aimed at tarnishing Nwoko’s hard earned reputation, his business acumen and political career.
