A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday cautioned lawyers representing African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, against further delaying his alleged cybercrime trial, as the Department of State Services (DSS) urged the court to close the defence and proceed to final addresses.
The courtroom witnessed tense exchanges after Sowore’s lead counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), sought an adjournment, blaming the court registry for a delay in processing documents needed to examine a subpoenaed witness from the DSS.
However, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), opposed the request, arguing that the defence had repeatedly employed tactics aimed at frustrating the trial, which stems from social media posts in which Sowore allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
Kehinde asked Justice Mohammed Umar to foreclose the defence, contending that the prosecution had fulfilled its obligation by producing a representative of the DSS Director-General in court, while the defence failed to proceed despite previous agreements.
He argued that the Constitution guarantees parties an opportunity to be heard, not an unlimited right to delay proceedings, urging the court to direct both sides to file their final written addresses.
Olumide-Fusika, however, insisted the setback resulted from administrative delays at the court registry, maintaining that the defence could not have known when the judge approved its application.
He also faulted the prosecution for allegedly failing to produce the subpoenaed witness as required and rejected claims that the defence was deliberately stalling the proceedings.
The disagreement prompted a stern intervention from Justice Umar, who reminded defence counsel that the matter had suffered repeated delays since the prosecution closed its case in March.
“I have been on the Bench for 22 years… This should be the last time. If you are no longer interested in the case, you should say so,” the judge warned after tempers flared between both senior advocates.
Although the DSS sought an order closing the defence, the court declined the request and instead adjourned the case until September 20 for continuation of the defence.
Sowore is facing prosecution by the DSS on charges of alleged criminal defamation, cyberstalking and incitement over comments published on his social media platforms in 2025.