Sowore: Prosecution Plans To Have Witnesses Testify Behind Screen Without Judges’ Consent – Falana Kicks

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on Wednesday raised the alarm that the prosecution was planning to have their witnesses masked and to sit behind a screen while testifying against the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu had fixed Wednesday for prosecution to open its cases by calling its first witnesses in the case of treasonable felony instituted against the defendants.

Falana told Justice Ojukwu at the Wednesday’s proceedings that the arrangement to have prosecution witnesses testify behind a shield had been concluded between the prosecution team led by Mr. Hassan Liman (SAN), and the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court without the knowledge of the judge.

He insisted that Liman told him about the arrangement in confidence shortly before the Wednesday’s proceedings began.

Falana said without an application brought before the court to that effect and granted by the judge, the procedure could not be allowed.

He said this while asking for the adjournment of the case on the grounds that the Department of State Service had not allowed him and his team to have access to the defendants in custody.

He also said the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the case, contrary to the lead prosecution’s claim that they had their witnesses in court ready for commencement of trial on Wednesday.

Falana said, “The prosecution is not ready by not applying formally to the court to have their witnesses screened or testify behind mask.

“They have already brought instrument without our knowledge”

“He had applied behind doors through the Deputy Court Registrar to have witnesses to taken in camera.

“He wants to mask witnesses and consequently. They have already brought screen.

Based on the application the prosecution made to the DCR, my learned friend confidently brought (he screening instrument to the court this morning. It has already been set before we came in.

“He told me that they would like to swap the witness box with the dock as part of the arrangement.

“My learned friend told me he was surprised that the swapping had not been done, so that the witnesses would be able to come in through your ladyship’s door.”

The judge invited the DCR in question and he confirmed that the prosecution truly approached him to make the screen available, which he said was the usual practice in high profile cases.

Liman also explained that what he did was a mere giving an “advance notice” notice to the DCR.

He said contrary to Falana’s claim, he had said he would bring a formal application to allow the prosecution witnesses to testify behind the shield.

He said it was an “administrative arrangement” that was subject to the judge’s approval.

“The application will be brought and argued in the open court,” Liman said.

Replying, Falana insisted that the prosecution had no right to engage in any administrative arrangement that was already granted without the knowledge of the judge.