Alleged cyberbullying: Sowore opts to represent himself in court

The publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, announced on Friday that he would represent himself in court while he waits for a new legal team to be assembled for the ongoing cyberbullying case.

Sowore spoke to Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja shortly after the court scheduled the defendant to open his defence.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Umar had set the hearing for today on Thursday, allowing the defendant to present his defence.

The judge refused an oral application by Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, for a long adjournment and ordered that the trial proceed on a day‑to‑day basis.

Sowore is charged by the Department of State Services (DSS) with making false claims against President Bola Tinubu, calling him a “criminal” in a post on his X and Facebook accounts.

When the hearing resumed on Friday, only the DSS lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, was present. Abubakar, Sowore’s counsel, was noticeably absent.

When asked by the judge about his lawyer’s whereabouts, Sowore explained that his lawyers were afraid to appear before Justice Umar after the judge’s ruling the previous day that the trial would proceed day‑to‑day.

“Our lawyers have told me they are afraid before you and will not appear any longer because of the humiliation they suffered before this court,” he said. “And pending the time I am able to re‑constitute a new legal team, I shall be representing myself before your lordship.”

Sowore stated that it is his constitutional right to choose his legal representation for any trial in Nigeria.

The defendant then informed the court that he had filed two applications, one of which had already been served on the prosecution.

“A motion on notice filed yesterday, June 4, 2026, and served on the prosecutor earlier this morning,” he said. “The application is a motion on notice for a recusal.”

Sowore sought permission to move the application for recusal, and the DSS lawyer did not object.

He requested that the court order the judge to recuse himself or withdraw from the case due to alleged bias and humiliation, citing Section 36(1)(5)(6) of the 1999 Constitution.

Kehinde argued that Sowore’s application was fundamentally defective, stating, “This application is fundamentally incompetent as there is no name of the counsel that prepared the motion and attached to the motion paper.”

However, the judge noted that a lawyer had signed the application in the court file.

“From my record here, the person that signed it is Marshall Abubakar,” Justice Umar said. “Mine was not signed, my lord,” Kehinde replied.

“We presume it is Marshall Abubakar who signed it. I will not condone any technical move from you,” the judge told Kehinde.

Responding to Sowore’s motion, the DSS lawyer described the application as “an abuse of court process meant to annoy and irritate this court.”

He said the court is bound by a letter from the Chief Judge dated May 22, which directed that the matter proceed, and that the letter was copied to all parties.

“Moreover, there is a subsisting order of this court that defence must commence today and the option is for the defence to be foreclosed if the defendant is not ready,” he said.

The senior lawyer prayed that the court refuse the application.

Justice Umar said that to give the application due consideration, he would have to follow the defendant’s procedure.

“I will adjourn this case to Monday for ruling,” he said.

Sowore pleaded for more time to secure lawyers, adding that this was also “in view of the Democracy Day celebration.”

The judge reminded him that an order had already been made for a day‑to‑day hearing of the case.

“My lord, take judicial notice that I have attended this case from day one. I am just asking for indulgence for at least a week to come,” he prayed.

Justice Umar consequently adjourned the matter until June 15 for ruling and for defence.

(NAN)

The post Alleged cyberbullying: Sowore opts to represent himself in court appeared first on Vanguard News.