Alleged cyber bullying: Court orders Sowore to open defense

…as Sowore ask judge to recuse self from trial

By Vivian Okejeme

The Federal High Court in Abuja, has dismissed the no-case submission made by an activist, Omoyele Sowore in the cyberbullying case against him.

The Department of the State Service(DSS) is prosecuting the #RevolutionNow convener on a 2-count charge of cyberbullying President Bola Tinubu.

Delivery the ruling, Friday, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, upheld DSS charges against Sowore for allegedly calling President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a “criminal” in his X (Twitter) handle.

The court held that the DSS had successfully linked Sowore with the alleged offences and prima facie case established against him to warrant his defense in the case.

Consequently, it ordered him to enter his defense in the charges against him.

Following the prosecution’s closing of trial, Sowore filed a no case submission, praying the court to discharge and acquit him from the charges.

Reacting to the ruling, Sowore openly accused the Judge of bias, adding that he would not get justice in the court.

He, subsequently, asked the Judge to hands off from his trial and allow another Judge to conduct the trial.

The publisher of Sahara Reporters, an online media outfit, maintained that the judge was playing along with the federal government to convict him at all costs so as to prevent him from contesting the 2027 general election.

Speaking through his counsel, Marshall Abubakar, he asked the Judge to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge,

Responding, counsel to the DSS prayed the court to discountenance the recusal application.

In a brief ruling, Justice Umar ordered Sowore to file formal application for recusal request and state his grievances,

Meantime, the case has been adjourned till May 19, for the defendant to open his defense and as his application for recusal.