Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourns Sowore’s arraignment to December 2 after DSS requested a bench warrant.
The arraignment of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore has been postponed once again, as Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned proceedings to December 2.
During Wednesday’s hearing, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), urged the court to issue a bench warrant against Sowore for his absence, arguing that he had been served with both the charge and the hearing notice from the last sitting.
Kehinde described Sowore’s absence as an affront to the court’s authority and called for disciplinary action.
However, Justice Umar declined to issue a bench warrant immediately, noting that the second defendant, identified as X Corporation, had not yet been served with the charge sheet even though they received the hearing notice.
The judge ordered that all parties be properly served before the next hearing date and adjourned the case to December 2 for arraignment.
Earlier in the session, the DSS counsel drew the court’s attention to a letter written by activist Deji Adeyanju requesting an adjournment, a move the prosecution said showed Sowore’s disregard for the court.
Representing Meta (Facebook) Incorporation, senior lawyer Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) supported the prosecution’s position, alleging that Sowore had accused the company of siding with the DSS.
Oyetibo also dismissed the adjournment request as a deliberate distraction.
After hearing submissions from all parties, Justice Umar ruled that the arraignment of Sowore and other defendants would take place on December 2, with a directive that all parties must be duly served with hearing notices before then.
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