Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to foreclose the defence of human rights activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, warning that his case could be closed if he fails to continue presenting his defence at the next hearing. Justice Mohammed Umar issued the warning on Thursday, July 16, 2026, after Sowore appeared in court without any member of his legal team, marking the 11th time the defence had sought an adjournment since the trial began.
Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress for the 2027 elections, is facing trial over allegations of cyberbullying President Bola Tinubu. The Department of State Services charged him with criminal defamation, cyberstalking and incitement after he referred to the President as "a criminal" in social media posts on X and Facebook in August 2025. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
When the case was called on Thursday, Justice Umar immediately asked: "Where are your legal team?". Sowore responded that his lead counsel, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, had travelled to the United Kingdom with the knowledge of the court. He added that his junior lawyer, Reuben Adakole, was also outside the court's jurisdiction. Sowore subsequently requested an adjournment to allow his lawyers to return and continue his defence.
The judge, however, warned that the court could close Sowore's defence if he failed to present his witnesses and continue the case, maintaining that the trial could not be indefinitely stalled by the repeated absence of defence lawyers. Justice Umar also told Sowore that if he intended to make any other application beyond seeking an adjournment, it would mean he had decided to represent himself in court.
Prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, urged the court to foreclose Sowore's defence, noting that the application for adjournment marked the 11th time the defence had sought such a request. Kehinde reminded the court that Olumide-Fusika had also been absent at the previous sitting and that the court had ruled that the lead counsel's absence could not continue to delay proceedings. He further argued that there was a subsisting order for the trial to be conducted on a day-to-day basis. "It is crystal clear that Sowore is not ready to proceed with his defence," Kehinde submitted, urging the court to foreclose the defence in the interest of justice.
In his ruling, Justice Umar acknowledged that fair hearing demands that the defendant be given every opportunity to defend himself, noting that the court cannot force a defendant to defend his case. He said he would, for the last time, agree to an adjournment for the defendant to continue his defence or risk his defence being foreclosed. The judge adjourned the matter until July 22, 2026.
Sowore had earlier opened his defence on July 6, 2026, presenting human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju as his first witness in the cybercrime case instituted against him by the Federal Government. The trial has been marked by multiple adjournments and procedural disputes since the DSS first arraigned Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja in December 2025.
The case has drawn significant attention, given Sowore's status as a prominent activist and political figure who will be running against President Tinubu's second-term bid in the 2027 election. The threat to foreclose his defence represents a significant escalation in the proceedings and could have far-reaching implications for the activist's legal and political future.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments