A federal high court in Abuja has threatened to commit Marshall Abubakar, counsel to activist Omoyele Sowore, to prison over alleged contempt during court proceedings.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Mohammed Umar, the presiding judge, issued the warning after Abubakar raised his voice during Monday’s hearing.
Sowore is currently standing trial on a two-count charge filed against him by the Department of State Services.
The charges stem from Sowore’s August 25 post on X in which he described Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” while reacting to the president’s remarks on corruption during a trip to Brazil.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, Akinlolu Kehinde, counsel to the DSS, closed the prosecution’s case after presenting a single witness, who was subsequently cross-examined by Sowore’s legal team.
During the proceedings, the court asked the defence to open its case. However, Abubakar said the defence intended to file a no-case submission and suggested that the matter be adjourned until July.
The DSS counsel opposed the request, arguing that the move was part of the defence’s strategy to delay the trial. He added that there was no reason the case could not proceed on a daily basis.
Responding, the judge noted that the prosecution conducted its case promptly, while the defence spent four days cross-examining the prosecution’s only witness.
When the judge asked Abubakar when the defence planned to open its case, the lawyer again said the defendant would make a no-case submission and proposed that the matter be adjourned to a date in July.
Responding, Kehinde objected and argued that it was part of the defence’s dilatory tactics intended to further delay proceedings. He suggested that the case be heard on a daily basis.
In his intervention, the judge said that while the prosecution was swift in conducting its case, the defence was tardy, spending a whole four days cross-examining the prosecution’s only witness.
The judge said it was not feasible to hear the case on a daily basis but directed the parties to return on April 13 for the adoption of their final written addresses in respect of the no-case submission.
Abubakar appeared uncomfortable with the date.
While Sowore was addressing the judge from the dock on how the proposed date might affect his party’s upcoming primaries under the African Action Congress, his lawyer also began speaking at the same time, narrating how his client was poised to wrestle power from President Tinubu.
“This court belongs to all of us. This court is not for some people alone. It belongs to all of us,” Abubakar yelled.
Attempts by the judge to make the lawyer lower his voice were unsuccessful.
The judge said, “If you shout in this court again, I will commit you for contempt. In fact, come here! Come and kneel down here!” while pointing to a spot in front of the courtroom.
Realising the situation was escalating, other lawyers present in court, led by the prosecuting counsel, rose to plead with the judge to forgive Abubakar.
While the lawyers were still standing and pleading, the judge announced that the case had been adjourned until April 13 for the adoption of final written addresses and rose for the day.
The court subsequently adjourned the case to April 13.
