Sowore Drops Bid to Call DSS Director-General as Witness in Alleged Defamation Trial

By Iyojo Ameh

Publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has withdrawn his plan to call the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, as a witness in his ongoing trial over the alleged criminal defamation of President Bola Tinubu.

Sowore informed the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday that the evidence he sought from the DSS chief could instead be obtained from another official of the agency.

The development came as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), personally led the Federal Government’s prosecution for the first time since the trial began.

Fagbemi opposed the subpoena issued to the DSS Director-General, arguing that the document the defence intended to rely on was not authored by Ajayi but by another DSS official who had already testified before the court.

According to the Attorney-General, the DSS letter advising Sowore to remove social media posts in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as a “criminal” had already been admitted in evidence on two occasions, making any further attempt to tender it unnecessary.

He further told the court that the author of the letter, Uwen Davis, had testified on July 22 and that the document was already in the court’s custody.

Counsel to Sowore, Olumide Fusika (SAN), objected to the Attorney-General’s appearance in the case, arguing that Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) remained the Federal Government’s counsel on record.

After listening to both parties, the trial judge, Justice Muhammed Umar, adjourned the case until August 3, 2026, for the continuation of the defence.