By Ayomide Otitoju
The planned arraignment of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja has been postponed once again, as Justice Muhammed Umar adjourned proceedings to December 2.
At Wednesday’s sitting, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), urged the court to issue a bench warrant for Sowore’s arrest, accusing him of deliberately absenting himself from court despite being served with the charges and hearing notice.
Kehinde described the activist’s absence as “an affront to the sanctity of the court,” urging the judge to exercise his inherent powers to compel Sowore’s appearance through arrest.
However, Justice Umar declined to grant the request, noting that the second defendant, identified as X Corporation, had yet to be served with the charge sheet, even though they acknowledged receipt of the hearing notice. The judge ordered that all parties be properly served before the next sitting and adjourned the matter to December 2 for arraignment.
Earlier, the DSS counsel informed the court about a letter from activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju, requesting an adjournment on Sowore’s behalf — a move Kehinde said demonstrated the defendant’s disregard for judicial proceedings.
Counsel to Meta (Facebook) Inc., Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), supported the prosecution’s call for a bench warrant, alleging that Sowore had accused the company of siding with the DSS. Oyetibo dismissed the letter for adjournment as a “distraction,” insisting that Sowore was intentionally avoiding the trial.
After hearing arguments from all parties, Justice Umar fixed December 2 for the arraignment of all defendants and directed that fresh hearing notices be issued to ensure compliance.
