Justice Mohammed Umar of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has turned down the application by an activist and the Presidential candidate of the African Alliance Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore seeking a long adjournment of his trial in the two-count charge preferred against him by the federal government for allegedly defaming President Bola Tinubu.
Sowore through his lawyer, Reuben Adakole had on Monday applied that his defense in the charge be shifted till after the two months annual vacation of the Court.
The activist who is being prosecuted for allegedly calling President Tinubu a “criminal” on his Facebook page and X handle predicated his request for long adjournment on the ground that his choice lawyer, Olumide Fusika, SAN was out of the country to attend to family matters.
His request was however opposed by counsel to the prosecution, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN who drew the attention of the Court to ten previous adjournments that, the trial suffered at the instance of Sowore.
The senior lawyer told Justice Umar that the latest request for long adjournment was a ploy and antics to further frustrate the criminal trial.
Kehinde also drew the attention of the Court to day-to- day accelerated trial it granted earlier in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 adding that granting two months adjournment would be against the earlier order of the Court.
In a brief ruling, Justice Umar turned down the long adjournment application based on the previous order of the Court and subsequently ordered Sowore to be in Court on July 16 for continuation of his defense in the charge.
Earlier, Sowore’s first witness and Abuja based lawyer, Mr Deji Adeyanju had in continuation of his evidence insisted that President Tinubu, during an official engagement in Benue state had said citizens have the right to insult, abuse, criticise and call him names and that law enforcement agencies should allow citizens exercise their rights as part of democracy.
Adeyanju had also said that the President made it clear that the Judiciary should be the guardian of the public and should not be used as instrument of oppression against critics.
The video clips of where the President was said to have made the remarks were played in the open Court.
Under cross examination by the prosecution lawyer, Adeyanju admitted being a lawyer to Sowore but that he opted out later. He also admitted making comments in the social media on his general experience on arrest and prosecution in such a trial.
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