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The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case plea by Nigerian activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, in his ongoing cyberbullying trial.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly making false claims against President Bola Tinubu.
The activist, in a post on X, had allegedly referred to Tinubu as “a criminal.” At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, Sowore opted to make a no-case submission rather than proceeding to conduct his defence.
Justice Mohammed Umar, while delivering judgment on Friday, dismissed Sowore’s no-case submission and upheld the argument by the lawyer to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, that a prima facie case had been established against him to warrant his being called upon to enter a defence.
Credit: Arise News
He was ordered to enter his defence against the case already made out against him by the prosecution.
NAN reported that, following an application by Sowore’s legal counsel, the judge granted the defendant an audience.
Sowore, however, reportedly accused the judge of bias, adding that the judge humiliated his lawyer by ordering him to kneel down during one of the court’s sittings. The activist asked the judge to recuse himself from the case.
Responding, the prosecuting lawyer, Kehinde, disagreed with the defence’s oral application, arguing that such a plea could only be made via a formal written application.
Justice Umar ordered Sowore’s lawyer to file a formal application, which he must serve on the prosecution, stating reasons why the judge should recuse himself from the case.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until May 19, 2026, for a hearing.
