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Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has recounted an incident in which he alleged that a judge ordered his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, to kneel in open court during proceedings in his case involving the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the experience as something he had previously only heard about in stories.
Sowore made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television, on Wednesday, 10 June, 2026, while reflecting on his years-long legal battles and encounters with the Nigerian judicial system.
According to the human rights activist, the incident occurred during proceedings in his case when tensions arose between the defence team and the judge. He said the development came after disagreements over the handling of the defence’s arguments and cross-examination of the prosecution’s witness.
Recalling the event, Sowore said he had previously heard accounts of judges imposing unusual punishments on lawyers in some parts of the country but had never personally witnessed such conduct until the incident involving his counsel.
“I have heard stories of judges asking lawyers to come and cut grass in the Southeast. Some of them sound like urban legends but this one I experienced it,” Sowore said during the interview.
The former presidential candidate stated that the experience left a lasting impression on him because it transformed what he had regarded as unverified stories into what he claimed was a real-life courtroom encounter. He suggested that such actions raise concerns about the treatment of legal practitioners and the conduct of judicial proceedings.
