The Court of Appeal sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has ordered the immediate release of a 30-year-old pharmacist, Solomon Akuma, who is standing trial on a trumped-up charge bordering on terrorism over a Twitter comment against President Muhammadu Buhari. He was arrested on April 2, 2020, in Abia State, for tweeting that he would “pay a Russian sniper to eliminate (President Muhammadu) Buhari and (Abba) Kyari (Buhari’s former Chief of Staff)' in response to a Twitter post asking 'If $1m hits your account, your next move?'
How Court Of Appeal Ordered Immediate Release of Pharmacist, Solomon Akuma Detained Since 2020 Over Twitter Post Against BuhariHe was arrested on April 2, 2020, in Abia State, for tweeting that he would “pay a Russian sniper to eliminate Buhari and Kyari " in response to a Twitter post asking"If $1m hits your account, your next move?"
The three-man panel in its ruling on Thursday ordered the Nigerian Correctional Services to release the young man from custody after spending almost two years in illegal custody.It would be recalled that Solomon had asked the trial judge Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja to withdraw from the case after being accused of bias. He said he would not be able to get justice before the judge and he therefore asked the Chief Judge to reassign the case.
Recall that the judge had on December 17, 2021 threatened to arrest and jail Solomon's Lawyer, Emmanuel Ukaegbu while ruling against the application for discharge of the defendant from the prison filed by Ukaegbu but granted the application for amendment of charge, which was filed by the prosecution.
Solomon in a protest letter to the Chief Judge had said there were a lot of statutory and constitutional issues that had happened since the judge delivered her judgment in the matter which might not allow them to get justice in the case. “That this Honourable Court granted an amendment of already struck out charge and refused to discharge and/or release me from custody.
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