Court Rejects Sowore’s No-Case Submission, Orders Activist To Open Defence

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by activist Omoyele Sowore in the cyberbullying case instituted against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged derogatory remarks about President Bola Tinubu.

The court held that Sowore has a case to answer, noting that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring him to provide explanations to issues raised during trial.

Justice Umar stated that evidence before the court showed that the defendant made the disputed post via his social media handle, as testified by a prosecution witness.

He further explained that at the stage of a no-case submission, the court was concerned with the weight of evidence presented, not the credibility of witnesses, since the trial has not been concluded.

According to the judge, it would not serve the interest of justice to terminate the case at this point.

Consequently, the court ordered Sowore to enter his defence.

In the same vein, prosecuting counsel, relying on Section 396(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), urged the court to direct the defendant to immediately open his defence.