Court grants one final adjournment, says continued delays will no longer be tolerated as cybercrime trial resumes on July 22.
By A1NEWS International
ABUJA, Nigeria — July 16, 2026
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a stern warning to Omoyele Sowore, publisher and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), that it may foreclose his defence in his ongoing alleged cybercrime trial if further delays continue to impede proceedings.
Justice Muhammed Umar, who presided over the matter on Thursday, granted what he described as a final adjournment after Sowore appeared in court without any member of his legal team, emphasizing that while the court remains committed to safeguarding the defendant’s constitutional right to a fair hearing, it also has a duty to prevent unnecessary delays in criminal proceedings.
The development marks another significant stage in the closely watched prosecution, which has experienced a series of adjournments since the defence opened its case.
Court Questions Defence’s Absence
When the matter was called, Sowore was present before the court, but neither his lead counsel nor any member of his defence team appeared.
Addressing the court personally, Sowore explained that his lead counsel, Olumide Fusika, SAN, was in the United Kingdom with the court’s prior knowledge.
He also informed the court that another counsel expected to represent him, Raphael Adakole, was outside the jurisdiction and therefore unable to attend the proceedings.
Sowore subsequently requested an adjournment to enable his legal team to appear and continue presenting his defence.
He also sought permission to make an oral application before the court.
Judge Declines Oral Application
Responding to the request, Justice Umar held that the defendant could only make the application personally if he intended to conduct his own defence.
The court noted that legal representation remained the responsibility of counsel where a defendant had elected to be represented by lawyers.
The judge therefore declined to entertain the proposed oral application in the absence of defence counsel.
Prosecution Opposes Fresh Adjournment
Counsel for the prosecution, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the request for another adjournment, reminding the court that the matter had previously been adjourned to July 16 specifically to allow the defence to serve subpoenas issued by the court.
He further informed the court that the defence lead counsel had also been absent at the previous sitting, despite the court’s earlier indication that proceedings should not be delayed because of counsel’s absence.
Kehinde also referred to the court’s existing order directing that the matter proceed on a day-to-day basis, arguing that repeated postponements were inconsistent with the objectives of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
According to the prosecution, the latest application represented the 11th adjournment sought by the defence.
He urged the court to bring the defence case to a close and proceed to the next stage of the trial.
Court Gives Final Opportunity
Delivering a brief ruling, Justice Umar acknowledged the constitutional requirement to guarantee every defendant a fair hearing.
The judge observed that while the court could not compel an accused person to present a defence, it also could not permit criminal proceedings to be unnecessarily prolonged.
“In the interest of justice,” the judge ruled, the court would grant one final adjournment to allow the defendant to conclude his defence.
However, Justice Umar warned that failure to proceed at the next hearing could result in the court foreclosing the defence, allowing the case to proceed to its concluding stages based on the evidence already before the court.
Balancing Fair Hearing and Speedy Justice
The latest proceedings highlight the continuing judicial effort to balance two fundamental principles of criminal justice.
On one hand, Nigerian courts are constitutionally required to protect the accused person’s right to adequate legal representation and a fair hearing.
On the other hand, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) seeks to discourage avoidable delays by promoting efficient and timely determination of criminal cases.
Legal observers note that courts increasingly invoke the provisions of the ACJA where repeated adjournments threaten to undermine the objective of speedy justice.
Next Hearing Fixed for July 22
Following its ruling, the Federal High Court adjourned the matter until July 22, 2026, when the defence is expected to continue presenting its case.
Attention will now focus on whether Sowore’s legal team will conclude its defence or whether the court will invoke its warning to foreclose further defence proceedings.
It is important to note that the allegations against Sowore remain before the court, and no finding of guilt has been made. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in accordance with Nigerian law.
Justice Umar’s warning underscores the judiciary’s increasing determination to curb delays in criminal trials while safeguarding the constitutional rights of defendants.
With the court describing the next adjournment as the final opportunity for the defence to proceed, the July 22 hearing is expected to be pivotal in determining the future direction of the alleged cybercrime case against Omoyele Sowore.
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