JUSTICE Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an application filed by the presidential candidate of the African Action Alliance (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, seeking a lengthy adjournment in his trial over alleged cyberbullying of President Bola Tinubu.
News Point Nigeria reports that the case was instituted against Sowore by the Department of State Services (DSS), which is prosecuting him over the allegations.
Sowore, through his lawyer, Raphael Adakole, had urged the court to postpone the defence stage of the trial until after the court’s annual vacation.
Adakole informed the court that the lead defence counsel, Olumide Fusika (SAN), was currently out of the country and therefore unavailable to proceed with the matter.
However, the application was opposed by counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), who reminded the court that the case had already suffered 10 adjournments at the instance of the defendant.
Kehinde also drew the attention of the court to its earlier order directing that the matter should proceed on an accelerated day-to-day basis in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He argued that granting the request for a two-month adjournment would run contrary to the court’s directive for speedy hearing.
In a brief ruling, Justice Umar declined the application and cited the court’s earlier order for an accelerated hearing of the matter.
The judge subsequently directed Sowore to appear before the court on July 16 for the continuation of his defence.
Earlier in the proceedings, Sowore’s first witness, Abuja-based lawyer Deji Adeyanju, maintained during his testimony that President Bola Tinubu, while on an official engagement in Benue State, had stated that citizens have the right to criticise, insult and call him names.
According to Adeyanju, the President had also said that law enforcement agencies should allow Nigerians to exercise such rights as part of democratic freedoms.
Adeyanju further testified that Tinubu had emphasised that the judiciary should serve as a guardian of the people and should not be used as an instrument of oppression against critics.
Video clips in which the President was said to have made the remarks were played in open court.
During cross-examination by counsel to the DSS, Adeyanju admitted that he had previously acted as Sowore’s lawyer but later withdrew from that role.
He also acknowledged making comments on social media regarding his personal experiences with arrest and prosecution in similar matters.
However, Adeyanju conceded that President Tinubu had never suggested that the law should not take its course whenever an individual violates the law.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter until July 16 for the continuation of Sowore’s defence.