The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to open his defence in his ongoing trial over alleged cyberbullying and criminal defamation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order on Thursday after rejecting an application by Sowore’s counsel, Marshall Abubakar, seeking an adjournment of the matter until after the court’s forthcoming vacation.
The judge directed that Sowore must begin his defence on June 5 and ordered that subsequent hearings in the case would proceed from day to day until conclusion.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over alleged false claims against President Tinubu, including referring to him as “a criminal” in posts made on his X and Facebook accounts.
When the matter came up, prosecuting counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, informed the court that the case was fixed for June 4 to receive the response of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to a letter written by Sowore on May 19, 2026, requesting that the case be reassigned to another judge.
Kehinde said he was served on May 26 with a copy of the Chief Judge’s response, dated May 22, in which Sowore’s request was declined and Justice Umar was directed to continue hearing the matter.
The prosecution then urged the court to order Sowore to enter his defence.
Responding, Abubakar argued that part of the Chief Judge’s response directed the defendant to file a formal application so the issue could be heard in open court.
He also urged the court to adjourn the case until after vacation, saying Sowore needed time to participate in next year’s presidential election.
But Kehinde disagreed, saying defence counsel had wrongly interpreted the Chief Judge’s letter.
“The letter from the Chief Judge of this court did not ask the defendant or his counsel to file an application for recusal. So, it is disingenuous for counsel to read into the letter an interpretation that the Chief Judge did not include,” he said.
Following the disagreement, Justice Umar called for a copy of the letter and read it in open court.
The judge held that the letter did not direct Sowore to file any application before the court.
“From the content of the letter, there is nowhere the defendant is asked to file an application before this court,” Justice Umar said.
“This court is not denying the defendant the right to file any application. This can be done anytime before judgment.”
Justice Umar held that the case had reached the stage where the defendant was required to open his defence.
He subsequently ordered that the trial proceed daily in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
After the ruling, Abubakar again sought an adjournment until after the court’s vacation, but the prosecution opposed the application.
Kehinde argued that the law required the defence to proceed, adding that there was no room for delay in a criminal trial.
“The law is that the defendant shall proceed with his defence. There is no option. We are ready. There is no room for dilatory practice for a defendant facing a criminal trial,” the prosecution counsel said.
He added that the only options available were for the defence to proceed or be foreclosed.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter until June 5 for Sowore to open his defence.
The post Court Orders Sowore To Open Defence In Tinubu Cyberbullying Trial, Rejects Bid To Adjourn Case Till After Vacation appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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