As FG files new charges

Court session

The prosecution in the trial of Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare reported to a Federal High Court on Thursday that it has paid the N200, 000 cost awarded against it the previous day by the court on grounds of delay.

At the commencement of proceedings on Thursday, lead prosecution, Aminu Alilu, confirmed that the payment was made to the defendants on Wednesday.

Alilu also applied that the amended two counts charge newly filed against the defendants on February 10, 2020, be substituted with the old charges filed on September 20, 2019.

He said: “As a law-abiding officer of the Attorney-General of the Federation, we have complied with my lord’s order regarding the cost and supply of some materials to the defence.

“We have the evidence of payment before my lord and it can be confirmed by the defence.

“Having said that, we will be applying for the substitution of an earlier charge filed on September 20, 2019, but dated September 19, 2019, to be substituted with two counts amended information dated February 10, 2020, and filed on February 11, 2020.”