‘Saraki’s supporters attack SaharaReporters followers in court’

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has been accused of sending thugs to intimidate the supporters of Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of SaharaReporters, at a court hearing between the duo in Ilorin, on Wednesday.

The Senate President had filed a libel case against the news website and its publisher.

Justice Adeyinka Oyinloye of an Ilorin High Court had decided the case, with suit number KWS/23/2017, against the defendants, Sowore and Sahara Reporters, asking them to pay a sum of N4bn to Saraki.

But Sowore headed back to court, asking the judge to set aside the judgment.

Sowore took to Facebook on Wednesday to report that supporters of the Senate President and thugs came to beat up observers at the hearing and intimidate his supporters.

He wrote, “Folks: Our attorneys were in court today with great solidarity from some 20 lawyers in IIorin. But as early 7:00 AM Bukola Saraki had mobilized hundreds of “supporters” and thugs to the Kwara State High Court venue to intimidate and harass our lawyers, observers and a solidarity group that came to support our fight against tyranny.

“Later, they also mobilised armed thugs to the venue. Inside the courtroom, our attorney dazzled and dazed, Saraki’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro, SAN, the senior lawyer they hired to come to the Jankara Court led by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye.

“The brilliance displayed by our attorney didn’t make the Saraki team happy, so, they had to resort to violence.

“A team of comrades that travelled overnight to Ilorin from Lagos was targeted, their cameras were broken and some were beaten…

“Some of the observers had to hide in the courtroom but as the court ended its proceedings the thugs laid siege on the court premises and wreaked more havoc. Particularly they snatched Crown Olanrewaju Ahmed took to an area in GRA, Ilorin beat him mercilessly and forced him to “confess” under duress and on camera that I sent him to disrupt the court proceedings. They stole his phone afterwards…

“Paul Erokoro, SAN was pained in his face saving interview at the court premises that I continue to call this fraudulent judgment what it is. But it will be a disservice to humanity if we fail to correctly address injustice and the infrastructure of judicial fraud by the right adjective that they deserve.

The case is adjourned till Septemeber 14 2017.”

A video of the Crown Olanrewaju Ahmed was later posted on Facebook, confessing that he was sent by Sahara Reporters to disrupt the court proceeding.