By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The planned arraignment of Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters at the Federal High Court, Abuja, could not hold on Wednesday due to the absence of the second defendant, Sahara Reporters.
The case, which involves newly filed charges of forgery, defamation, and alleged incitement to mutiny, was slated for arraignment before Justice Emeka Nwite. However, the court was informed that the second defendant had not been served with the court summons.
The prosecuting counsel explained that efforts to serve the second defendant through substituted means, by publishing the summons, had not been successful, as the publication was not ready. Justice Nwite consequently adjourned the matter until Sept. 15, for arraignment.
Recall that the fresh charges against Sowore and Sahara Reporters, filed earlier in August, relate to a series of reports published on Sahara Reporters about an alleged police promotion scandal and Sowore’s participation in protests by retired police officers demanding pension reforms.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, counsel to Sowore, Mr Marshall Abubakar said that he would be challenging the competence of the charges, describing them as frivolous and unjustified.
