Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an
\nopen letter to Justice John Tsoho, acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the
\nFederal High Court, urging him to use his offices and leadership
\nposition to “ensure expeditious hearing of Omoyele Sowore’s application
\nnot least because of his constitutional right of access to justice,
\nliberty, fair trial and status as a prisoner of conscience.”<\/p>\n
The Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday refused to grant the motion
\nfiled by Omoyele Sowore, Convener, ‘RevolutionNow’ protests, challenging
\nhis detention for 45 days by the State Security Service (SSS). Justice
\nNkeonye Maya declined all applications by Mr Sowore and sent the case
\nback to Justice Taiwo Taiwo for further hearing.<\/p>\n
In the letter dated 29 August 2019 and signed by SERAP deputy director
\nKolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Continuing delay in the
\nhearing of Sowore’s application raises serious issues about his right to
\na fair trial and access to justice, particularly the right to have his
\napplication heard expeditiously, fairly and impartially.”<\/p>\n
SERAP urged Justice Tsoho to “show that under your leadership of the
\nFederal High Court, no one, not even those accused of alleged serious
\noffence, will be denied the right to simple justice and expeditious
\nhearing.”<\/p>\n
SERAP’s letter read in part: “We are concerned that while Sowore was
\narrested on August 2, 2019 by the SSS, his application before the court
\nhas yet to be heard. The Federal High Court should not be seen as
\nforgetting justice and disregarding the wholesome restraints of the 1999
\nNigerian Constitution (as amended).”<\/p>\n
“Justice is based on respect for the human rights of every individual.
\nContinuing delay in the hearing Sowore’s application raises issues as to
\nhis right to an effective defence and to a fair trial before an
\nindependent, impartial judiciary \u2013 something which is recognized as a
\nfundamental right under the Nigerian Constitution and International
\nCovenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state
\nparty.”<\/p>\n
“Access to justice is one of the fundamental principles of the Nigerian
\nConstitution, guaranteeing to every Nigerian the right to obtain justice
\nfreely, promptly and without delay.”<\/p>\n
“The right to a fair trial is a human right. Whatever the crime, if
\npeople are not allowed to present their case before the court, justice
\nis not served for the accused, the victim of the crime or the public.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Justice John Tsoho, acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court, urging him to use his offices…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n