Court dismisses Obasanjo’s N1billion libel suit against Punch newspaper, Columnist

By Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong

An Abuja High court has dismissed the claims in damage of N1 billion Naira demanded from Punch newspaper and one of its columnist by former Nigeria president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Chief Obasanjo has sued The Punch newspaper and Sonala Olumhense, one of its columnist, over an article they published on January 27, 2019 captioned: “This is the best contribution Obasanjo can make”.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo incidented the suit against The punch newspaper and Sonala Olumhense on May 7, 2019.

The Federal Capital Territory High Court has dismissed the N1 billion libel suit and in the other hand awarded N2 million damage to be paid by each the defendant ( The punch newspaper and the Columnist).

The court also awarded N4 million Naira, N2 million each to the two defendants as a cost against the former President.

In the ‘controversial’ article which brought about the litigation Mr. Olumhense recalled previous articles he had written about the former Nigerian leader, explaining that because of Obasanjo’s “persistent efforts to distort Nigeria’s history and colour it in his own image,” he occasionally wrote to remind Nigerians “he [Obasanjo] is not the saint or patriot or doer he pretends to be.”

Following the article, Obasanjo sued the defendants, claiming one billion naira as general damages, describing the article as “false, malicious, unjustified, injurious, scornful, distasteful, unsavoury” and exposing him to “public odium, ridicule and disdain.”

When the case marked SUIT NO: FCT/HC/CV/962/2019, GENERAL OLUSEGUN OBASANJO (RTD) GCFR Vs. PUNCH NIGERIA LIMITED &ANOR came up on Thursday, the Claimant’s counsel, Emmanuel Bisong Otinyia, Esq. informed the court that they had filed a notice of discontinuance to strike out the matter.

The defendant lawyer further told the court that the reason for their notice to discontinue the case was because the Claimant had already forgiven the Defendants in the suit

But however the judge still went ahead with the case.

Chief Obasanjo had additionally demanded the retraction of the already published complaint in two national newspapers within three days of the judgement of the court, and an order to restrain the defendants and others from publishing the same or similar words.

©️Samuel Abasiekong, French & English languages Journalist, Researcher, Public Affairs Analyst.
Here reporting @ 9newsng.com
Email: [email protected]
+234 8062700985