Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) has said the case file of the detained activist, Comrade Omoyele Sowore has been returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
He said the CJ is expected to assign it to a vacation judge.
He said he was not summoned by the Federal High Court, Abuja in respect of the detention of Sowore.
Malami gave the status report in a statement through his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.
The statement said the issues that surrounded the subject matter border on the application filed by Sowore’s lawyer on the 15th day of November 2019.
Malami said: “The matter came up before Hon. Justice I E. Ekwo on the 6th day of December, 2019 for mention. The 1st & 2nd Respondents were represented in the court.
Read Also: Court queries AGF, DSS DG over Sowore’s continued detention
“The Court adjourned the matter to the 23rd day of January, 2020 for the hearing of the substantive matter. Surprisingly, on Tuesday the 17th day of December, 2019, the Applicant’s Counsel adopted an ex-parte application filed on the 15th day of November, 2019 before Hon. Justice I E. Ekwo.
“However, the Court, being aware of the fact that parties have joined issues, ordered that the Deputy Chief Registrar (Litigation) shall inform the 1st & 2nd Respondents of the case and the next adjourned date.
“The court order in question was only to bring to the notice of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and the Director General of the State Security Services(DSS) to take notice that upon the motion ex-parte filed on November 15th that applicants want an expedite hearing of the matter.”
He insisted that an order was only made to remit the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
Malami added: “According to the order obtained from the court “an order is hereby made that the Deputy Chief Registrar (Litigation) of this Court shall bring this case and the next date of hearing to the notice and attention of the 1st and 2nd Defendants”.
“Buttressing the fact that the timing for hearing falls during the holiday season the court said “an order is hereby made remitting this file to the Hon. Chief Judge for assignment of this case to Vacation Judge for hearing as the next date of hearing falls within the vacation period”.
“The Court also ordered that the case file be remitted to the Hon. Chief Judge for assignment to the vacation Judge for hearing as the next adjourned date of hearing falls within the vacation period.
“It is noteworthy that the day or date of the next adjourned date was not indicated in the order of the Court.
“Therefore, flowing from the above and the Order from the Court dated Tuesday, the 17th day of December 2019 there were no evidence to show that the Director DSS and the Attorney-General of the Federation have been summoned by the Court as some individuals want to allude.”
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