Appeal Court orders retrial of N5bn defamation suit against Information Minister

The Court of Appeal in Abuja Nigeria, has ordered the retrial of the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed in the five billion naira defamation suit filed against him by media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi.

Justice Abraham George-will made the decision after dismissing the judgement of the lower court, which held that Dokpesi did not produce enough evidence to prove that the statement by the minister were defamatory.

The Founder of Daar communication plc, Raymond Dokpesi had alleged that on March 30, 2019 during a media conference, that the Information Minister Lai Mohammed and Nigeria’s Attorney-General, defamed his character where he referred to Dokpesi as one of the looters of Nigeria’s treasury.

The inclusion of Dokpesi’s name as number four on the treasury looters’ list which portrayed him as “a corrupt and crooked person, a dishonest man and a thief” compelled him to approach the trial court.

Dokpesi told the court that the Information Minister’s action was a defamation of his character to the general public and also a dent in his reputation.

After presenting all his evidence before the court in the absence of Lai Mohammed, who never appeared in court all through the trial, the trial Judge Justice Olukayode Adeniyi dismissed the suit on grounds that it lacked merit.

The trial Judge stated that Dokpesi did not give enough evidence to proof that the minister statements were defamatory.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the trial court, the media mogul approached the appellate court, challenging the decision of the high court.

Delivering judgement, Justice Abraham George-will held that the decision of the trial court was erroneous as the judgement of the court was in a haste.

Justice George-will also held that, the lower court’s judgement was a breach of the appellants right to fair hearing, when it asked for proof of probability, that the minister’s statement was defamatory.

The Judge therefore ordered for the retrial of the case by any other Judge except Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the federal capital territory high court.

Emmanuel Ukoh