Court revokes Sowore’s bail, orders his arrest

ABUJA– A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday revoked the bail earlier granted to publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, and ordered his arrest over his absence from his ongoing cyberbullying trial.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, issued a bench warrant for Sowore’s arrest after granting an oral application by the prosecution counsel, Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN.

Sowore is being prosecuted by the State Security Service (SSS) over allegations that he made false claims against President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as “a criminal” in posts published on his X and Facebook accounts.

The court had on June 5 fixed June 16 for a ruling on an application filed by Sowore through his lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, seeking the judge’s recusal from the case.

However, when the matter came up on Tuesday, neither Sowore nor his counsel was present in court.

The court was informed that the defendant had sent a letter seeking an adjournment of the proceedings.

The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that no convincing reason had been provided for the defendant’s absence or the application for adjournment.

Kehinde subsequently urged the court to revoke Sowore’s bail and issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

In his ruling, Justice Umar granted the prosecution’s request, revoked the defendant’s bail and ordered his arrest.

(NAN)