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Idahosa Moses | Benin
President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the University of Benin, Edo State, Mr. Foster Osazee Amadin, has won a case of libel against four members of the union’s executive.
The Supreme Court of the Student Union Government of the University gave the ruling in favour of the SUG president
The copy of the judgment made available to newsmen in Benin City listed the defendants, who are also executive members of the union in the case as Comrade Oredia Destiny (Secretary General), Comrade Ekene Aninze (Attorney- General), Comrade Omoregie Sylvester (Assistant Secretary General) and Comrade Benson Osademe Nwabere (Director of Sports).
The defendants, who were elected alongside the claimant as members of the executive council of the union in 2020/2021 were alleged to have written and made a defamatory publication against the claimant on March 23, 2022 in the Sahara Reporters online and other online medium.
In an unanimous judgment by the seven-man justice, the student court held that counsel to the plaintiff was able to establish a case of defamation against the defendants who were not represented by counsel despite being served with the court processes and hearing notice.
Abida Israel Opah, who delivered the lead judgment restrained the defendants, their agents and or servants from further writing or publication of libelous articles against the claimant.
Counsel to the plaintiff, U. Igwe and J.O.John had told the court that the defendants made the libelous publication against his client over some disagreement in respect to some minor administrative decisions.
Igwe said that the disagreement was such that the defendants wanted to lord the administrative decisions on the claimant.
He said: “The disagreement culminated in what appeared to be loss of affection between the claimant and the defendants.
“Out of sheer malice and in a bid to malign the image of the claimant, the defendants collectively authored and published a disparaging article against the claimant and same was shared online, including the popular Sahara Reporters on Marchm 23, 2022.”
He added that the publication by the defendants defamed his client because the depositions in the said publication were false, fallacious, fabricated and borne out of malice.
He further explained that the publication described his client as “a serial violator of the dictate of the union’s constitution, an unfeeling individual who justified the use of harmful chemical on students.”
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