‘Spiritual Consultant’ Escorts Sowore To Court

BY EDMOND ODOK – An interesting spectacle played out last Tuesday at the Magistrate Court in Zone 2, Wuse District, Abuja, as the Publisher of online news platform, Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, made it to his trial with a weird-looking man as one of his associates.

Conspicuous among those in court for the proceedings, the strange man was adorned in a red and black striped sleeveless knee-length dress and a cap to match.

Together with four others, the publisher cum politician is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly and public incitement.

Styled a spiritual consultant by one member of Sowore’s group, the mystery man’s attire was decorated with cowries, snail shells, tiny calabashes, and a fox head inscription on it.

Barefooted and having the local white chalk marks around his eyes, the strange man also hung a miniature keg and a red rucksack on his shoulder with a baby horsewhip in his right hand as part of the paraphernalia

Though his creepy look generated inquisitive glances around the court premises, the man, alongside other supporters of Sowore were allowed entry into the courtroom.

When the court proceedings finally begun, a police officer, who gave evidence as one of the prosecution witness, recounted how the defendants were arrested in the early hours of January 1, 2021 for allegedly engaging in illegal assembly and provoking public disorder.

According to the officer, on the said date, Sowore and his co-defendants were apprehended by a police detachment at the Lokogoma junction in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Under cross-examined by lawyer to the defendants, Marshal Abubakar, the Police officer admitted being in the team that apprehended all the defendants but said he did not personally arrest Sowore.

With May 7, 2021 set as the next adjourned date for further trial, the Chief Magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, obliged the defence counsel’s request to vary the bail conditions earlier granted by the court.

By their new bail conditions, the second to fifth defendants are now permitted to travel out of Abuja until the next adjourned date.