Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has warned that he may revoke the bail of politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore in his ongoing cybercrime trial.
The judge issued the warning on Thursday, stating that an arrest warrant could be issued to ensure Sowore’s presence in court if he fails to attend the next hearing.
The caution came after the prosecuting lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), informed the court that Sowore did not appear despite being served with a hearing notice through his legal team.
Sowore faces prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of making false claims against President Bola Tinubu on social media platforms, including X and Facebook.
At Thursday’s session, Sowore and all 30 of his lawyers were absent. Kehinde noted that the day’s proceedings were intended for the defence to complete the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness and confirmed that the defendant had received a notice of the hearing.
Invoking Section 352(1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Kehinde requested that the court revoke Sowore’s bail and issue a bench warrant for his immediate production in court.
Justice Umar acknowledged that Sowore had been duly served and recognized his consistent attendance in previous sessions. He observed that prior adjournments were agreed upon by both sides and stated that the defendant should be given the benefit of the doubt for his first absence.
However, the judge warned that any future absence would lead to the immediate revocation of bail and the issuance of a bench warrant. The trial was adjourned to March 16, with instructions for a new hearing notice to be issued to the defence.
