Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has warned that the bail granted to politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore may be revoked if he fails to appear at the next hearing in his ongoing cybercrime trial.
The judge issued the warning on Thursday and said he would also order Sowore’s arrest if he does not attend court at the next sitting.
Justice Umar made the statement after submissions by the prosecuting counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, who informed the court that the defendant was absent despite being served with a hearing notice through his legal team.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over allegations that he made false claims against Bola Ahmed Tinubu by referring to him as a criminal in posts published on his accounts on X and Facebook.
At Thursday’s court session, Sowore was not present, and none of his lawyers—reportedly numbering about 30—appeared before the court.
Addressing the development, Kehinde said the matter scheduled for the day was for the defence to conclude the cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness.
He further explained that the prosecution confirmed through the court registry that the defendant had been properly served with a hearing notice through his lawyers, just as the prosecution itself received a similar notice.
According to the prosecutor, there was no justification for the defendant’s absence or that of his legal representatives, and no explanation had been provided to the court.
Relying on Sections 352(1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Kehinde urged the court to revoke Sowore’s bail and issue a bench warrant to compel his appearance for the continuation of the trial.
In his ruling, Justice Umar acknowledged that Sowore had indeed been served with a hearing notice through his lawyers. However, the judge noted that the defendant had consistently appeared in court since the trial began late last year.
He also observed that previous adjournments in the case had been caused by both the prosecution and the defence.
Given the circumstances, the judge said the defendant should be given the benefit of the doubt since it was the first time he had failed to attend court proceedings.
Justice Umar nonetheless warned that the court would not hesitate to grant the prosecution’s request if Sowore fails to appear at the next hearing.
He stated that the court would revoke the defendant’s bail and issue an arrest warrant if the situation repeats itself.
The case was subsequently adjourned to March 16 for continuation of the trial, with the court directing that another hearing notice be served on the defence.
What you should know
Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and prominent activist, is currently facing cybercrime-related charges filed by the Department of State Services.
The charges stem from social media posts in which he allegedly described Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a criminal.
The case has attracted significant public attention due to Sowore’s political profile and history of activism, as well as ongoing debates about freedom of expression and cybercrime laws in Nigeria.
