The Kwara State Government has amended the criminal charge against investigative journalist Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed, popularly known as Crown, and African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate Saidu Musa Tsaragi, following the death of one of the original defendants, Comrade Bolakale Saliu.
The development occurred on Tuesday before Justice E.B. Mohammed of the Kwara State High Court, where defence counsel, Taofiq Olateju, objected to the prosecution proceeding with the case on an amended charge that had not been served on his clients.
Counsel to the Kwara State Government, Abdulmumeen Busari, informed the court that the amendment was limited to removing Saliu’s name from the charge following his death.
The original charge had been filed as The People of Kwara State v. Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed a.k.a. Crown, Saliu Bolakale and Saidu Musa.
However, Saliu’s name was removed from the amended charge presented before the court.
Explaining the amendment, Busari told Justice Mohammed that there was no alteration to the substance of the case, saying the only reason for changing the charge was that one of the defendants originally listed was deceased.
He stressed that there would have been no need to amend the charge if Saliu were still alive.
The amendment immediately triggered an objection from the defence, which argued that the defendants could not be expected to proceed with a new charge they had not been formally served.
Olateju told the court that his clients had not personally received the amended charge before appearing in court.
He said they nevertheless came voluntarily and out of respect for the court.
The defence counsel opposed the prosecution’s attempt to proceed with the matter, arguing that allowing the case to continue without proper service of the amended charge would violate the defendants’ fundamental rights.
Olateju asked the court to allow the defendants the period prescribed by law to respond to the amended charge after being served.
He specifically requested 48 hours, citing the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Kwara State, 2018.
During the proceedings, Busari urged the court to proceed with the application before it.
But Olateju formally objected, insisting that the prosecution must first comply with the law by serving the amended charge on the defendants.
He maintained that the defendants were entitled to know the exact case they were expected to answer and to be given adequate time to prepare their response.
Busari subsequently did not oppose the defence request for time.
After listening to both sides, Justice Mohammed adjourned the case to November 5, 2026, for arraignment.
The latest development followed an earlier courtroom confrontation over an application by the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecutions for a bench warrant against the journalist and the two activists.
On December 10, 2025, the Kwara State High Court rejected the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant to arrest and remand Ahmed, Saliu and Musa.
The defendants were facing allegations of defamation and injurious falsehood after publicly condemning the violent attack on peaceful protesters in Ilorin.
During that proceeding, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ayoola Idowu Akande, had argued that the defendants were duly served with court processes and should be arrested for failing to appear.
But Olateju, who was in court for another matter, challenged the prosecution’s position and entered an appearance for the defendants.
He argued that the document allegedly served on the defendants did not contain basic details, including the name of the court, suit number or hearing date.
According to the defence lawyer, the absence of those details meant the defendants could not reasonably know where or when they were required to appear.
Olateju described the application for a bench warrant as an attempt to “ambush” the defendants and keep them behind bars, warning that it could result in a miscarriage of justice.
The court subsequently agreed with the defence that the prosecution had failed to establish proper service of the charge.
Justice Mohammed therefore refused the application for a bench warrant, effectively declining to order the arrest and remand of the journalist and activists.
The DPP later acknowledged the court’s decision, saying, “This is justice.”
With Saliu now deceased, the prosecution has amended the charge to remove his name, leaving Ahmed and Musa as the remaining defendants in the case.
The matter will now come up on November 5 for arraignment.
