{
  "id": 11526223,
  "title": "Cyberbullying: Sowore’s DSS Subpoena U-turn Absurd, Unprecedented, Prosecution Tells Court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/cyberbullying-sowores-dss-subpoena-u-turn-absurd-unprecedented",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T20:39:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/10/02/cyberbullying-sowores-dss-subpoena-u-turn-absurd-unprecedented-prosecution-tells-court/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Counsel representing the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, denounced the alleged change of heart by presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore regarding a witness subpoena in his cyberbullying defense. Sowore faces accusations of disparaging President Bola Tinubu on social media platforms X and Facebook in August 2025. The dispute stemmed from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the DSS Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, being subpoenaed. Initially, Sowore's legal team, led by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, agreed that a DSS official could represent Ajayi. However, they later insisted on Ajayi personally testifying. Kehinde argued that insisting on Ajayi's personal appearance was absurd, citing a 2002 Supreme Court decision that deemed it unreasonable to require only the named public officer to appear. The prosecution echoed this stance, noting that the DSS Director-General had no direct stake in the case as he executed his official duties. Kehinde contended that it would be impractical for Ajayi to attend every DSS-related court proceeding, given the numerous cases pending. The court, therefore, adjourned the matter until October 6, 2026, to determine if the DSS Director General must personally appear as a defense witness.",
  "summary": "Counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, on Friday described as “absurd and unprecedented” the alleged volte-face by the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}