Court Rejects Sowore’s Bid to Delay DSS Criminal Trial

• A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected Omoyele Sowore’s request for a long adjournment in his criminal trial.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday rejected an application by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, seeking a long adjournment in his ongoing criminal trial.

Sowore, who is also the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on charges bordering on criminal defamation, cyberstalking and incitement.

Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed the application filed by Sowore’s lawyer, Reuben Adakole, who had requested that the matter be adjourned until after the court’s annual vacation.

The charges against Sowore stem from alleged social media posts on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts, where he reportedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”

Opposing the request, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), argued that the defence was attempting to further delay the proceedings.

Kehinde reminded the court that the case had already suffered several adjournments at the instance of the defendant and stressed that the court had previously granted an order for an accelerated day-to-day trial in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He argued that granting a two-month adjournment would contradict the existing order for an expedited hearing, noting that the order remained valid and had not been set aside.

In his ruling, Justice Umar agreed with the prosecution and declined the application, citing the subsisting order for accelerated hearing.

The judge subsequently ordered Sowore to return to court on July 16, 2026, for the continuation of his defence.

Earlier during the proceedings, the defence’s first witness (DW-1), lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, continued his testimony, insisting that President Bola Tinubu had publicly stated during an official engagement in Benue State that Nigerians have the right to insult, criticise and call him names as part of democratic freedoms.

According to Adeyanju, the President had urged law enforcement agencies to respect citizens’ constitutional rights and also maintained that the judiciary should serve as a protector of the people rather than an instrument for suppressing critics.

Video clips of the President’s remarks, which had earlier been admitted as evidence, were played in open court during the hearing.

However, under cross-examination by the DSS counsel, Adeyanju admitted that he previously served as one of Sowore’s lawyers but is no longer a member of the defendant’s legal team.

He also acknowledged making social media comments based on his personal experiences regarding arrests and criminal prosecutions.

Adeyanju further admitted that while President Tinubu defended citizens’ right to free expression, he also made it clear that anyone who violates the law should be allowed to face the legal consequences.