Sowore’s Lawyer Olumide-Fusika SAN Praised For Incisive Cross-Examination Of DSS Witness | Sahara Reporters

Ojukwu commended Olumide-Fusika for his handling of the testimony of Michael Jego, the DSS representative who appeared as a prosecution witness in the case.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu has praised Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, counsel to human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, for his preparation and incisive cross-examination of a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) in the ongoing trial of the activist.

Ojukwu (SAN) also commended Olumide-Fusika for his handling of the testimony of Michael Jego, the DSS representative who appeared as a prosecution witness in the case.

He said a larger courtroom should have been provided to accommodate younger lawyers interested in observing the proceedings and learning from Olumide-Fusika’s performance.

The trial is ongoing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Sowore is facing charges over his description of President Bola Tinubu as a criminal.

The case has attracted attention over the prosecution’s evidence and a dispute between the prosecution and defence over whether DSS Director-General Oluwatosin Ajayi should personally appear in court to testify.

SaharaReporters had reported that the court was scheduled to rule on October 6, 2026, on the dispute concerning Ajayi’s appearance. However, proceedings were stalled after the trial judge, Justice Umar Mohammad, was absent following a bereavement.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until October 19, 2026.

The dispute arose after the defence insisted that Ajayi must personally appear because he was specifically named in a subpoena issued in connection with the case.

At an earlier sitting, Olumide-Fusika accused the prosecution of reneging on an understanding allegedly reached with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, regarding the appearance of another DSS officer on behalf of the agency’s director-general.

“My Lord, that was an understanding between gentlemen, ordinarily binding. That understanding was repudiated by the person charged with the prosecution of this case at the last adjourned date,” Olumide-Fusika told the court.

He maintained that the prosecution could not unilaterally abandon the arrangement and substitute another witness without formally addressing the matter before the court.

“He was named specifically to come, and the subpoena still names him specifically. So he must come now, having repudiated the understanding,” he said.

However, prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, opposed the demand for Ajayi’s personal appearance, arguing that the DSS director-general had been summoned in his official capacity and could be represented by an authorised officer of the agency.

“He does not have a personal interest in this matter. There is no personal interest whatsoever,” Kehinde submitted.

He urged the court to allow the DSS officer who was present to testify on behalf of the agency.

The court subsequently fixed October 6 for a ruling on the dispute, but the judge’s absence prevented the decision from being delivered.

The case is expected to continue as the court addresses the outstanding issues and hears further evidence.

Sowore is standing trial over his alleged description of Tinubu as a criminal, an expression that has featured prominently in the proceedings.

The defence has continued to challenge aspects of the prosecution’s case, while the prosecution maintains its position on the presentation of evidence.