Omoyele Sowore withdraws subpoena for DSS Director-General in defamation trial
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and former presidential candidate, has withdrawn his request to subpoena Oluwatosin Ajayi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services DSS, to testify in his alleged criminal defamation trial. Sowore informed the Federal High Court in Abuja that the evidence he sought from the DSS Director-General could be provided by another official. This decision followed an objection from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, who argued that the subpoena should be set aside because the document in question was not authored or signed by Ajayi. Fagbemi also noted that the letter, which asked Sowore to delete a Facebook post allegedly describing President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal,” had already been admitted as evidence twice, and its author, Uwen Davis, had already testified. Sowore's counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika SAN, initially opposed the AGF's intervention, citing that another Senior Advocate of Nigeria was already representing the Federal Government and that proper notice should have been given. However, after arguments, Sowore agreed that the evidence could be obtained from another DSS official. Justice Mohammed Umar has adjourned the case to August 3 for the continuation of the defence.
