Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Adebayo Bakare aka Mandate, who were arraigned at the Federal High Court on Monday before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, have both entered a plea of not guilty.
Sowore, addressing the Court through his counsel, Olumide Fusika SAN, initially declined to enter their plea argued that the Department of State Service, DSS, failed to comply with an order the court made for his immediate release.
Sowore further told to court that he was not duly served with a copy of the charge against him, insisting that he was denied access to his lawyers.
The trial Judge in her ruling held that the court was not in doubt that the defendants were served with a copy of the charge. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu noted that no reference was made to any court order stopping the defendants from taking their plea to the criminal charge.
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“I see no breach of any of the tenets of justice in the present circumstance. What is before this Court is a criminal matter.
“I am of the view that there is no impediment to the arraignment of the defendants. The defendants are therefore called-up to enter their plea”, the court held.