UNIBEN SUG President wins Libel Case Against Executive Council Members

UNIBEN main gate

By Editor

March 27, 2023

The President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the University of Benin, Mr Foster Osazee Amadin has won a case of libel against four members of the union's executive.

Dailymonitorngr reports that the Supreme Court of the Student Union Government of the University gave the judgment in favour of the SUG president in December, 2022.

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 to include 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 along with 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 judgement by the seven-man justice, the court held that counsel to the plaintiff was able to establish a case of defamation against the defendants who were not represented by counsel in spite of being served with the court processes  and hearing notice.

Justice 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, Justice .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 averred that the disagreement was such that the defendants wanted to lord the administrative decisions on the  claimant.

According to him, "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 the 23rd day of March, 2022", he said.

He averred 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 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'

Others are " a fraudulent and dishonest individual who milked the union's treasury at his convenience and a totalitarian leader who has buried a number of students-related issues under the soil.

The  other six  judges that concurred with the Chief judge judgment are Justice Oseghale Barnabas Ezra, Justice Awoh Sunday Theodore, Justice Edomwonyi Precious Aisosa, Justice Amajuoyi Obinna, Justice Idemudia O. Michael and Justice Richard Osaretin Emmanuel.