The Kwara State Government has amended the criminal charge against Afrika Eyes publisher and 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 case was filed by Sadiq Buhari, a former Adviser to the Kwara State Governor on Social Investment, at the High Court of Kwara State.
At Tuesday’s proceedings before Justice E.B. Mohammed, counsel to the Kwara State Government, Abdulmumeen Busari, informed the court that the charge sheet had been amended solely to remove the name of the late Bolakale Saliu.
Saliu had been listed as one of the defendants in the original charge, which was titled: “The People of Kwara State as Prosecution v. Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed a.k.a. Crown, Saliu Bolakale and Saidu Musa as Defendants.”
His name was subsequently removed from the amended charge presented before the court.
Explaining the amendment, Busari told the court that the substance of the case had not changed, stressing that the charge sheet was amended because one of the original defendants had died.
The government lawyer said there would have been no need to amend the charge if Saliu were still alive.
Defence Objects to Proceeding Without Amended Charge
The proceedings also featured arguments over whether the case could proceed despite the defendants not having been personally served with the amended charge.
Counsel to the defendants, Taofiq Olateju, Esq., told the court that his clients had not been served with the amended charge before appearing for the proceedings.
Olateju, however, said the defendants had appeared voluntarily out of respect for the court despite not having been served with the new process.
The defence counsel opposed the prosecution’s application to proceed with the matter, arguing that doing so without serving the defendants with the amended charge could infringe on their fundamental rights.
He maintained that the defendants should be allowed the period prescribed by law to study and respond to the amended charge after being properly served.
Olateju therefore requested 48 hours, as provided under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Kwara State, 2018, for the defendants to respond after receiving the amended process.
Busari argued that the application before the court should proceed, but did not oppose the defence request for time.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice E.B. Mohammed ruled on the matter and adjourned the case to November 5, 2026, for arraignment.
