Okoi Obono-Obla

By Muhammad Bello

The allegation that a legal practitioner, Okoi Obono-Obla, was arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court, Abuja for criminal defamation of character has been debunked.

A letter by Obono, Obono & Associates, the Solicitors to Obono-Obla, said there was no iota of truth in the allegation made in a report which was published in THISDAY on November 11, 2012, where it was alleged that the legal practitioner was arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court and a warrant of arrest issued against him.

“We wish to state that there is no iota of truth in the said publication concerning our client. The truth of the matter is that our client was never arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court on 4th February 2009 and or charged with criminal defamation contrary to Section 391 and 392 of the Penal Code,” wrote J.O. Obono-Obla in a letter sent to THISDAY on Monday.

THISDAY had published a story in which a petition addressed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which was written by Obono-Obla on behalf of Ringardas Nigeria Limited, alleged fraud regarding Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), with market value of about N200 million, said to have been perpetrated by some Nigerians.

But another law firm, Bernard E. Afu and Associates (Fountain Chambers) Legal Practitioners and Consultants, had described the allegation as false and wicked, and also made allegation about charges of criminal defamation against the writer of the petition.