Alleged Defamation: Sowore Escapes Arrest Warrant Over Absence In Court
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 presidential election, Omoyele Sowore on Wednesday, escaped arrest warrant following his failure to appear before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for arraignment on charges bordering on defamation.
During proceedings on Wednesday, Counsel to the Department of the State Service (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN had urged the trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Umar to issue a bench warrant against Sowore for being absent in court without justification, having been served the charges and hearing notice from the last adjourned date.
The DSS counsel said, the action of Sowore, who is also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, refusing to come to court, despite being served with the charges is an affront to the sanctity of the court and must be treated with punishment such behavior deserved
The senior lawyer urged the Judge to invoke his inherent power to issue bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant by security agents wherever he may be.
The trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Umar however noted that the order for bench warrant will not subsist for now, following the submission of the 2nd defendant, X Corporation that they have not been served the charge sheet even though they received hearing notice.
Justice Umar then directed that all parties should be duly served and then adjourned the case till December 2, 2025 for arraignment of the defendants.
Meanwhile, counsel to X Corporation, Christabel Ndiokwelo told the court that the complainant had yet to serve the formal charges on their client, noting that, only a hearing notice had been served earlier.
Earlier in the proceeding, the DSS lawyer had drawn the attention of the court to a letter by a counsel, Deji Adeyanju, calling for an adjournment in the case, hence his request for a bench warrant, noting that Sowore is only taking the court for granted.
Meta (Facebook) Inc, through their lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, aligned himself with the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant against Sowore, stating that the 1st defendant had accused them of taking sides with the prosecution.
Oyetibo noted that the letter for adjournment is a from of distraction as Sowore knows what he is doing.
After taking arguments, Justice Umar fixed December 2 for arraignment of all the defendants and also directed that hearing notice must be served on them.
