The Federal Minister for Works and infrastructures, Engr David Umahi, has closed his N2 billion defamation suits filed against an online publication, People’s Gazette, and its reporter, Nimi Prince, after calling seven witnesses.
Umahi had in 2021, while serving as governor of Ebonyi State, instituted two separate defamation Cases at the Ebonyi State High Court in Suit No. HAB/36/2021 against People’s Gazette and another and Suit No. HAB/183/2021 against Igbo Michael Inya, claiming billions of naira as damages for serious reputation injury suffered following the malicious publications made by the respective defendants in both Suits against him and some other Claimants.
The separate suits marked HAB/36/2021 and HAB/183/2021 respectively are pending before the Ebonyi State High Court.
On January 29, 2021 Peoples Gazette via their online news tabloid published a sensational news article captioned: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Bank documents expose how Governor Umahi transferred billions to his Company from Ebonyi treasury David Umahi was given a chance to govern the poorest state in southern Nigeria. But expanding his pocket has been his priority from day one.”
Upon reading the publication, the former Governor immediately briefed his counsel, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, a former Attorney General of Imo State, who wrote the online tabloid a letter demanding it to retract the unfounded publication or face legal proceedings.
However, the Peoples Gazette remained adamant leading to the institution of Suit No.HAB/36/2021 at the Ebonyi State High Court against the media house and its reporter.
During the trial, the plaintiffs in that suit called a total of seven witnesses and closed their case in April 2023.
Meanwhile, after several adjournments by the court, the defendants (People’s Gazette and its Reporter, Nimi Prince) are yet to open their defence.
Meanwhile, an Afikpo-based legal practitioner, Igbo Michael Inya (popularly known as “Mazi Igbo”) had on January 13, 2021, on the UNEC Law Class’01 WhatsApp platform made of p over 110 alumni of the University of Nigeria Nsukka made a defamatory statement captioned: “Osborn la palm Port Harcourt where Gov. Umahi is burying Ebonyi State Money”.
Just like in the former suit, the lawyer upon being served with a letter of demand by the Governor’s solicitor, refused to retract his statement which led to the filing of suit No. HAB/136/2021 at the Ebonyi State High Court sitting in Abakaliki.
Hearing in the suit commenced in December 2023 and is ongoing beginning with the fielding of Plaintiffs’ witnesses.
On January 30, 2024, the Plaintiffs’ Witness (PW1) tendered in evidence some very crucial documents from the Bank to disprove the unfounded allegations made by the lawyer on the UNEC Law Class’01 WhatsApp platform to the effect that the former Governor had siphoned state funds to build his hotel in PortHarcourt. Some of the crucial exhibits tendered include documents evidencing billions of Naira loans granted to the Claimants for the P H hotel contrary to the defamatory publications of the defendant.
Meanwhile, the court has dismissed the preliminary objection filed by the defendant challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
His appeal at the Enugu division of the Court of Appeal was adjourned pending the completion of the main Suit at the High Court of Ebonyi State.
All the defendants are pleading in their respective defences to the above Suits is “fair comment on a matter of public interest” Without further particulars to buttress their plea.
While a full trial is ongoing in the Suit against Igbo Michael Inya, the High Court on January 31, 2024, adjourned the suit against Peoples Gazette to March for definite defence.
Meanwhile, it is to be noted that two billion naira Naira damages claimed by the plaintiffs in Suit No. HAB/36/2021 against the Peoples Gazette is intended to be shared by the Defendants to all the orphanage homes in Ebonyi Statll be directed by the plaintiffs: “An Order of the Hon. Court to the Defendants to pay to the Plaintiffs the sum of Two Billion Naira (N2, 000,000,000.00) ) as damages and special damages for the defamation of the plaintiffs (and the said sum is to be shared by the Defendants to all the Orphanage homes as will be directed by the Plaintiffs)”.
In the same vein, in the Suit No. HAB/183/2021 against Igbo Michael Inya Esq. the Plaintiff claimed the sum of One Hundred Million Naira as damages to be shared to the displaced persons/indigenes of Ebonyi State:
An Order of the Hon. Court to the Defendants to pay to the Plaintiffs the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000.00) as general damages for the defamation of the plaintiffs.
The said sum is to be shared by the Defewithant to the internally displaced persons/indigenes of Ebonyi State who were deeply affected by insurgency as will be directed by the Plaintiffs.
The above claim is amongst other reliefs claimed by the Plaintiffs in the above-mentioned wit to wit: “An Order of this Hon. Court compelling the Defendants to issue a retraction of all the defamatory publications against the plaintiffs in Defendants’ Peoples Gazette website:http//www.gazettengr.com on January 29, 2021, and 30th January 20, 21, etc.”
Source: The Sun
