JUDICIARY
Lai Mohammed slams N100bn suit against online medium
Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed has dragged an online publication, Pointblank News, before an Abuja High court over alleged libel. In a copy of the Writ of Summon obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the minister is seeking the sum of N50 billion aggravated and exemplary damages for alleged libel from the defendants.
As contained in the court paper, the minister also asked the court to award another N50 billion general damages against the defendants for alleged libelous publications against him.
The defendants to the suit are Mr Johnson Ude, publisher of the online media and Uduma Mba the Editor of the medium.In the summon, the minister said the defendants exclusively published and widely circulated stories in their medium alleging his involvement in a purported N10 billion fraud scandal.
“The defendants made a publication described as ‘Exclusive Pointblanknews.com investigations’ and written under the very bold banner and title: ‘Lai Mohammed in N10 billion Fraud Scandal as ICPC swoops on NBC” which was published on Aug. 3, 2021.“They published another one tagged as ‘Lai Mohammed, NBC head for showdown over N10 billion Fraud, Minister in Hot Deal with Interpol Most Wanted” publishes on Aug. 11, 2021. ″The minister contended that the said publications by the defendants against him “is untrue, malicious, unfounded and wicked”.He added that the said publications were deliberately fabricated and concocted to ridicule and bring his person to disrepute. Mohammed said he had never been found wanting in character and reputation in all the private and public organisations he had served. He said the defendants concocted the false stories to paint him in very bad light, defame him and injure his character and reputation.
The minister added that since the publication, he had been inundated with calls and personal visits from well wishers, friends, admirers, political followers and his political adversaries. Mohammed said because of the false and offensive publications, he had suffered mental distress and serious injury to his feelings. He said, because he was shocked and aggrieved by the publications, he caused his solicitor, Kunle Jalejaye, SAN to write a letter dated Aug. 5, 2021 to the defendants to retract the libelous stories.
The plaintiff said following the failure of the defendants to retract the false publication, he approached the court to seek redress. He therefore urged the court to award N50 billion aggravated and exemplary damages against the plaintiffs for libel contained in the publications.
The minister also prayed the court to award another N50 billion general damages against the defendants for the false and libelous publication. He also demanded a retraction of the publications and an apology to be published in three national newspapers (hard copy editions). Mohammed also asked the court to order the two defendants to respectively write an undertaking to desist from further publication of the defamatory words against him. NAN reports that the suit is yet to be assigned to a judge and no date has been fixed for mention. (NAN)
Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on Nov. 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov. 26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)Details later….
Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
The prosecutor, Insp E. O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.
The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.
Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.
He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.
The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.pm from the mother and notify her before hand.
He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.
Sabo ordered Bashir to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..
Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.
Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.
She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.
Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.
“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)
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