DSS Asks Court to Foreclose Sowore’s Defence Over Repeated Delays

The Department of State Services (DSS) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to foreclose the defence of human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, citing deliberate tactics to stall his ongoing cybercrime trial.

Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, faces charges bordering on alleged criminal defamation, cyberstalking, and incitement over social media posts regarding President Bola Tinubu. The publisher has denied all charges.

At Monday’s proceedings before Justice Mohammed Umar, defence counsel Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika requested an adjournment. Olumide-Fusika explained that an application filed on July 22 to certify documents for examining a subpoenaed DSS witness was only processed shortly before the session, attributing the delay to court registry administrative issues.

Opposing the application, DSS counsel Akinlolu Kehinde argued that the defence was purposefully prolonging trial proceedings despite the prosecution making its witness available.

“The prosecution has fulfilled its obligation by producing the witness. The repeated delays amount to a deliberate attempt to stall the proceedings, and the court should foreclose the defence and direct parties to file their final written addresses,” Kehinde stated.

The defence team rejected the prosecution’s assertion, maintaining it had no intention of frustrating proceedings and was not responsible for registry delays.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the trial, Justice Umar cautioned the defence against further postponements, noting that delays had persisted since the prosecution closed its case in March.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until September 20, 2026, for the continuation of the defence.