Court Adjourns Prolonged Libel Suit Against Tribune Till Next Year

A High Court sitting in Warri, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, has adjourned an alleged libel suit against African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc (ANN Plc), Publishers of the Tribune Titles.

The suit with case No. W/203/2018 was brought by one Mr Ogheneovo Andrew Anibor as claimant against ANN’s Plc Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Edward Dickson and a reporter, Tunde Oyekola as defendants over a publication on August 20, 2012.

The claimant, Mr Anibor had reportedly claimed that the newspaper made a publication which bordered on a judgement by Justice M Umukoro’s High Court of Justice, Delta State, Warri Judicial Division of a case with Suit No. W/257/2011 filed by him against the EFCC over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.

Justice Umukoro, however, dismissed the suit on June 12, 2012.

But aggrieved by the publication of the court judgement delivered by Justice Umukoro, Mr Anibor instituted a suit against the defendants, praying the court to award him N30 million over an alleged defamation.

The case, after much dilly-dallying over the years, finally came up on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 before Honourable Justice P. O. Kuejubola for hearing as the claimant, Mr Anibor, who’s both counsel and witness to his suit, was cross-examined by defence counsel to ANN PLC, Mr Femi Jarrett Edema.

During the cross-examination before Justice Kuejubola, the claimant affirmed that he filed a suit against EFCC on an alleged sale of a building property belonging to Mustard Seed Micro Investment Ltd in Warri as a liquidator.

He equally admitted being arrested in Warri, taken to Asaba on June, Wednesday 15, 2011 and detained in EFCC facility in Ikoyi, Lagos for 10 days.

When grilled to respond to Justice Umukoro’s unpleasant assertion about his character in his judgement, Mr Anibor described it as ‘strange and disappointing’ – the reason, he said, made him to appeal the judgement which, according to him, was also dismissed at the Appeal Court.

Anibor further informed the court that he had, since, filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria to determine his innocence or otherwise.

He, however, denied that the EFCC arrested him for fraudulent practices, arguing he was apprehended based on a petition dated March 4, 2011 by somebody over an alleged sale of the property of Mustard Seed Micro Investment Ltd and the collection of rent of the company’s building which he was alleged to have converted to his personal use.

He said the petition came on March 4, 2011 and his arrest by the EFCC was effected after about two months on June 11, 2011.

He added that he was released by the EFCC with a promise to recall him if the need arose, saying “but till today, they’ve not sent for me. The building I was accused of selling are still where they are. I didn’t steal nor commit any crime that was why I sued EFCC.”

During the cross examination that was laced with much fireworks, Mr Anibor admitted asking the anti-graft agency, in his suit, to tender an apology in some national newspapers and to pay him N50 million as damages, but up till date, no apology has been made nor money paid.

When further asked if he notified ANN PLC of the controversial publication through whatever means before instituting the suit against the company, Mr Anibor admitted he did not.

He also admitted to the removal, through one of his agents, of a court order pasted on the company’s premises which is believed to be unethical and a contravention of court order.

The case was later adjourned to January 18, 2022 for a cross examination of another witness of the claimant and a witness of the defendants, Ebenezer Adurokiya.