The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to order the remand of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, for failing to fulfil the conditions attached to the bail granted him in an alleged criminal defamation case.
The request was made on Monday during proceedings before Justice Mohammed Umar, where the prosecution argued that Sowore had yet to perfect the fresh bail granted to him on June 30.
The DSS is prosecuting Sowore over allegations of criminal defamation linked to social media posts on his official X and Facebook accounts in which he allegedly described President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal”.
Lead prosecuting counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, told the court that despite being released to a lawyer on June 30 pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions, the defendant had not completed the required process.
“We urge your lordship to make a necessary order for the remand of the defendant until the bail conditions are met,” Kehinde said, arguing that court orders must be obeyed and should not be treated lightly.
However, Sowore’s counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, opposed the application, insisting that the defendant was already taking the necessary steps to satisfy the bail requirements.
According to Olumide-Fusika, the process had progressed beyond mere compliance, with the court’s verification of the submitted documents still underway.
“It is incorrect that the conditions have not been met. When you meet bail conditions, the verification will have to be made by the court and this is ongoing, my Lord,” he argued.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Umar declined to issue an immediate ruling on the prosecution’s application.
Instead, he said he would wait until the close of business on Monday to assess the extent of the defendant’s compliance before deciding whether a remand order was necessary.
The judge recalled that he had already signed Sowore’s release order during the previous sitting and would first review developments regarding the bail process before making any further orders.
Meanwhile, the trial proceeded with the opening of the defence case as Sowore called his first witness, Abuja-based lawyer Deji Adeyanju, to testify before the court.
