Court Summons Sowore over Alleged Fake Report against IG

Court Summons Sowore over Alleged Fake Report against IG

By Alex Enumah

Justice Binta Mohammed of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja has ordered the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore to appear before her over alleged false media report against the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu.

Justice Mohammed, made the order while ruling in a motion exparte number: FCT/HC/M/13103/2020 filed by the IG through his lawyer, Dr Alex Izinyon, SAN.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until January 26, 2021 for hearing.

The IG had slammed a N10 billion suit against Sowore for allegedly publishing falsehood against him.

Izinyon in the motion had sought an order of the court, “granting leave to the claimant/applicant (Adamu) to issue and serve the writ of summons and statement of claim on the defendant who resides at No. 1, Mosafejo Street, Kiribo, Ese-Odo LGA, Ondo State, outside the jurisdiction of this court.

It would be recalled that the IG had recently described as falsehood a report published by the media outfit, on August 3, accusing him of illegally raising funds to build Police Training School in Nasarawa State.

Adamu, through his lawyer, Izinyon, had threatened to file a N10 billion suit against the online platform and its publisher, Sowore, unless an apology was tendered within seven days of the letter addressed to the media house on August 6.

He had vowed to file the suit except “a written and unequivocal retraction with an apology carried with the same prominence on its platform and three national dailies,” was done.

However, in a writ of summon with suit number: CU/3506/2020 dated and filed on December 21, Izinyon sought “a declaration that the words published by the defendant against the claimant in the online website of Sahara Reporters of August 3 falsely and maliciously written, published to the general public and therefore was defamatory of the person of claimant.

“The sum of N10 billion only to the claimant as aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendant for libel, falsely and maliciously published by the defendant against the claimant in the online website.”

The lawyer also urged the court to make an order, restraining the media outfit from publishing defamatory report against his client any longer.

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