The arraignment of the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a 2023 presidential aspirant, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, on cybercrime charges has been stalled at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.
The Federal Government filed the three-count criminal charges against him following complaints by a businessman, Mr. Ned Nwoko.
Although Sowore was present in court to take his plea, the Sahara Reporters, an online medium, charged along with him, was not in a court nor represented by a legal practitioner.
Counsel to the federal government, Mr. Emmanuel Inegbenoise, told the court that Sahara Reporters, as the second defendant, has not been served with a copy of the criminal charges as required by law.
He sought for a short adjournment to enable him perfect service of the charges on the organisation.
Counsel to Sowore, Mr. Tope Temokin, did not object to the application for adjournment.
Although Temakin initially announced an appearance for the second defendant, he, in a dramatic turn, withdrew his appearance.
In a short ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite billed to undertake the trial, granted adjournment request, and fixed April 25 for the arraignment.
Justice Nwite ordered the federal government to ensure service of the charges on the second defendant before the adjourned date.
Sowore and his media outfit, Sahara Reporters, was charged on three counts of conspiracy,
“when you and two others (now at large) conspired with intent to cause annoyance, enmity, hatred and menace to the character of one Hon. Ned Nwoko conspired amongst yourselves to publish several fake publications about him, an act done pursuant to your agreement.”
He is also charged with cyberstalking;
“that you, Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters, on or about December 15, 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did commit an illegal act to wit: cyberstalking when you knowingly and intentionally made false publications against one Hon. Ned Nwoko, with intent to cause annoyance, enmity, hatred and menace to the character by accusing him of scamming African monarchs and leaders with white elephant projects, through fictitious and giant projects he lured them to invest in,”
it read in part.
The court is also trying him for using his Twitter account to refer to Hon. Ned Nwoko “as a criminal in the following words released from Nigeria Police Force idiotic arrest and detention. They claimed I defamed a criminal, Ned Nwoko, “Useless people.”
On February 24, 2022, Sowore was arrested by the police over accusations of defamation and libel via a report originating from Ned Nwoko’s lawyers.
