The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed the no-case submission filed by activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, in the alleged cyberbullying case instituted against him by the Department of State Services.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, who delivered the ruling, held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendant, thereby necessitating him to open his defence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the DSS over allegations that he used his social media platform to describe President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”
The activist had earlier urged the court to discharge and acquit him of the two-count charge, arguing through a no-case submission that the prosecution failed to establish sufficient evidence linking him to the alleged offences.
However, Justice Umar ruled that the evidence presented by the DSS was substantial enough to connect Sowore to the allegations.
The judge consequently dismissed the application and directed the activist to enter his defence in the ongoing trial.
The ruling marks a fresh development in the high-profile case, which has continued to generate reactions from political observers and civil rights groups across the country.