A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an attempt by Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), to tender an uncertified court document in his defence in an ongoing criminal defamation trial.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations that he defamed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in social media posts in which he allegedly described the President as a “criminal.”
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Sowore’s counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), sought to tender the document through the third defence witness, Wayne Chikezie Elijah, who told the court that he was a member of Sowore’s former legal team.
Elijah said he had received the court document on behalf of Sowore while serving on the defence team. The prosecution objected to its admission, arguing that it was a photocopy rather than the original or a certified true copy (CTC).
Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), counsel to the prosecution, argued that as a court document, it could only be admitted if it was the original or a certified true copy.
