The Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and activist, Omoyele Sowore on Monday, opened his defense in the two count charges bothering on defamation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The federal government is prosecuting Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, an online media platform for alleged criminal defamation over claims that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts made on his official X and Facebook accounts.
At the proceedings on Monday, Sowore called his first witness, an Abuja-based lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.
Led in evidence by counsel to the defendant, Olumide Fusika, SAN, the witness told the court that President Tinubu, during an official engagement in Benue state, said citizens have the right to insult, criticise and call him names and that law enforcement agencies should allow citizens exercise their rights as it is part of democracy.
Adeyanju also said, the president said the judiciary should be the guardian of the public and should not be used as an instrument of oppression against critics.
Video clips of where the president made those remarks were tendered in evidence as an exhibit via flash drive before the court.
Meanwhile, Sowore risks being remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, following his inability to perfect the bail conditions granted him by the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar.
The prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN informed the court that the defendant was yet to fulfill the bail conditions granted him by the court.
The senior lawyer consequently applied to the court to issue an order remanding Sowore at the Kuje Correctional Center, arguing that the order of court are meant to be obeyed and submitted that since Sowore had not obeyed the court order by perfecting the bail conditions, the consequence is for his remand until the conditions are fully met.
Although Justice Umar released Sowore to his lawyer, pending bail perfection, the prosecution counsel argued that, up till Monday, the defendant had not communicated to him of having any challenge in meeting the bail conditions or filing any application for bail conditions variations.
”The defendant was released to his lawyer to go and bring his passport to be deposited with the court. That has not been communicated to us, and other conditions of the bail have not been met. The law is trite, no sentiment.
”Our application is that, the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Center until the bail conditions are met”, the prosecution lawyer prayed the court.
However, Fusika, counsel for the defendant, told the court that bail is not for punishment but for the accused to attend trial and that, it is incorrect to say the conditions are yet to be met.
He added that the verification of documents have been substantially done and then assured the court that the passport will be deposited in court before the close of work on Monday.
The defense counsel further said, there was slight delay in the passport recovery from the American Embassy in Lagos because Friday was the country’s 250th Anniversary celebration and they were on holidays.
Fusika prayed the court to allow Sowore be in his care until the next adjourned date of July 13 as everything will be done to ensure the terms of bail are met.
The court consequently adjourned the matter to July 13 for continuation of trial.
The court had, last week granted a N200 million bail to Sowore and two sureties in likes sum. Justice Umar ordered that, Sowore must provide two sureties and that, one of the surety, must be a traditional ruler from his community and the other, must have a landed property in Abuja.
The judge also ordered Sowore to deposit his international passport with the deputy Chief Registrar of the court, handed over Sowore to his lawyers and adjourned the case till Monday, July 6th for Sowore to open his defence.
Sowore had filed a no case submission praying the court to discharge and acquit him from the two-count charge preferred against him by the federal government but, the trial judge held in a ruling that the federal government had successfully linked Sowore with the alleged offences and prima facie case established against him to warrant his defense in the allegations against him.
In the amended charge filed on December 5, 2025, Sowore was re-arraigned by the federal government on two counts of defamation of Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sowore had pleaded not guilty to the two count charges when read to him, prompting the DSS to call its witnesses and also tendered exhibits to establish the Cyberbullying charges.