Prosecution lawyer denies knowledge of plan to pause Sowore trial

The lawyer prosecuting activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore has denied knowing about a reported plan by the State Security Service to suspend the cyberstalking trial until after the 2027 presidential election. Akinlolu Kehinde, a senior advocate of Nigeria, made the denial during proceedings at the Federal High Court on Monday. Sowore’s lead lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, had drawn the judge’s attention to reports that the SSS planned to seek a long adjournment.

The reports followed an announcement by the security service on 30 August that its director-general, Oluwatosin Ajayi, had directed Kehinde to take steps towards temporarily suspending the case. The SSS said the proposed move would allow Sowore, a presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, to participate in the 2027 campaign. Kehinde told the court he was unaware of the reported position and urged it not to rely on social-media accounts.

He said he was prepared to continue with the case and argued that the defence was responsible for producing its subpoenaed witness. The dispute concerned an SSS official expected to testify for the defence. The defence had initially sought Ajayi’s appearance over a letter issued to Sowore concerning his social-media posts.

Following an intervention by Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi, the defence agreed that another senior official could testify instead. Olumide-Fusika said the defence could not proceed without the witness and tendered newspaper reports about the proposed suspension. Kehinde asked the court either to direct the defence to continue or to close its case.

Judge Muhammad Umar gave the defence another opportunity to produce the witness and adjourned the matter until 2 October. The charges arose from posts in which Sowore described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal”. Sowore denies wrongdoing, while the prosecution has already closed its case.