Lawyer Illegally Detained For Four Months By DSS Regains Freedom

Gabriel Ogbonna, an Abia-based lawyer, who was detained for four months by Department of State Security (DSS) without charges has been released.

Before his release yesterday, the agency had refused to release Mr Ogbonna despite multiple court judgments ordering his release.

Ogbonna release on Friday is sequel to the verdict  of Justice Taiwo of the Abuja Federal High Court in Abuja last Tuesday.

The judgment of justice Taiwo made it the third time a court would grant Mr Ogbonna bail.

The lawyer was arrested for posting articles criticising the Okezie Ikpeazu-led government in Abia State, via his social media page, in March.

Shortly after the arrest, he was arraigned alongside another person for cybercrime and publishing false and threatening messages against Governor Ikpeazu, at a magistrate court in Umuahia.

However, because the magistrate court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, he was remanded at a correctional facility in the state capital until April 28, when he was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Umuahia and was granted bail.

Mr Ogbonna was re-arrested by DSS operatives on his way out of the correctional facility in Umuahia on the same day. This was after he had perfected the bail conditions.

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It’s gathered that the DSS moved Ogbonna to its office in the state and in April, its headquarters in Abuja, where he was detaind without any charges until recently when he was charged with allegations bordering around cybercrime.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, Ogbonna regained freedom after his bail conditions, as stipulated by Justice Taiwo, were perfected.

He was released to some lawyers on Friday evening, sources told our reporter.

Uzoma Ogbonna, his spouse, confirmed the release on Friday night. She, however, noted that Mr Ogbonna will be in Abuja for a while.

“I spoke with him this evening after he was released. He used one of the phones of the lawyers. I’m very happy. He is still in Abuja.” PREMIUM TIMES quoted Mrs Ogbonna to have said.