A tense moment unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday after the presiding judge threatened to cite a defence lawyer for contempt during proceedings in the alleged cyberbullying case involving Omoyele Sowore.
Justice Mohammed Umar warned Sowore’s lead counsel, Marshall Abubakar, after the lawyer repeatedly raised his voice while addressing the court.
The judge ordered Abubakar to step forward and kneel in court following what he described as misconduct during the hearing. However, other lawyers present quickly intervened and appealed to the judge to temper justice with mercy.
The case was brought against Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he made false statements about Bola Tinubu.
The confrontation occurred shortly after the defence lawyer completed cross-examining the prosecution’s only witness.
Prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) then announced that the prosecution had closed its case and requested the court to invite the defence to begin presenting its arguments.
When the court asked the defence when it intended to open its case, Abubakar indicated that the defence planned to file a no-case submission and proposed an adjournment until July.
Kehinde opposed the request, arguing that the defence was deliberately attempting to delay proceedings. He suggested that the trial should continue on a daily basis.
Justice Umar observed that the prosecution had handled its case promptly, while the defence had spent four days cross-examining a single witness.
The judge declined the request for daily sittings but fixed April 13 for the adoption of final written addresses relating to the proposed no-case submission.
Abubakar expressed dissatisfaction with the date, which triggered the courtroom exchange.
While Sowore spoke from the dock about how the date could affect political activities within his party, his lawyer simultaneously addressed the judge in a raised voice, drawing a warning from the court.
Justice Umar cautioned that any further disruption would result in contempt proceedings against the lawyer.
Following appeals from other legal practitioners in the courtroom, the judge adjourned the matter to April 13 and ended the sitting.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution raised concerns that Sowore allegedly had a recording device with him while in the dock.
However, Sowore denied the allegation and stated that he only had personal items including his eyeglasses, mobile phone and a power bank.
The court reminded him of its earlier directive prohibiting gadgets in the dock and instructed him to hand the items to his legal team.
Before cross-examination began, Abubakar had also requested a brief adjournment, stating that he was unaware the case was scheduled for hearing and had left the case file in his office while attending another court session.
Despite objections from the prosecution, the court granted a temporary stand-down to allow him retrieve the documents.
When proceedings resumed later in the afternoon, Abubakar cross-examined the DSS witness, Cyril Nosike, for about two hours and presented several newspaper publications as part of the defence’s submissions.
