Magu: Appeal Court Reserves Judgement In N100m Damages Against NAN Over Defamation Of Prophet Omale

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has actually scheduled its judgment in the appeal submitted by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)and Ismaila Chafe versus the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT )High Court in Abuja, following their defamatory publication versus the Founder and General Overseer of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry International in Abuja, Propher Emmanuel Omale.

Omale had on July 24, 2020, submitted a defamatory match significant CV/2290/2022 before the FCT High Court versus NAN and Chafe and mentioned the publication in NAN’s site with disparaging heading -“How Magu utilized Pastor to wash looted founds abroad report “, stating that the story was incorrect, defamatory and harmful to his track record.

In his judgment provided on December 8, 2022 over the matter, Justice Yusuf Halilu held that the publication was defamatory in its totality and directed NAN to pay N100million damages to Omale.

Disappointed with the decision of the lower court, NAN and Chafe submitted a Notice of Appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/ 535/23, asking the appellate court to nullify the judgement of the lower court and quash the damages for absence of benefit.

In the court processes offered to reporters on Thursday, NAN and Chafe (the appellants) embraced their quick of argument by their legal representative, T D Agbe, prompting the appellate court to promote their appeal and reserve the decision of the lower court.

Omale (the participant) in his quick of argument submitted by his legal representative, Bar Okafor Kanayo, advised the appellate court to dismiss the appeal and support the N100million damages granted by the lower court.

At the close of the case, NAN and Chafe submitted their last composed address and raised numerous problems while embracing the short of argument. Omale likewise submitted his last composed address and embraced his quick of argument

3 Justices of the Court of Appeal (JCAs), Justice Bilikisu Aliyu, Justice Adebukola Banjoko and Justice Okon Abang, commanded the matter and heard the arguments by the 2 celebrations.

With the adoption of the composed addresses, the appellate court subsequently scheduled its judgment in matter, stating that it would quickly interact the date of the judgment to the celebrations.

It is useful to keep in mind that Omale had before the lower court, called 2 witnesses and tendered 2 files as his proof in the matter.

In an effort to show his case, Omale called 2 witnesses and tendered 2 files as his proof in the matter, while NAN called Chafe and closed their case.

Omale had actually prompted the court to give an order engaging NAN to release a public apology particularly and completely pulling back the false post in any 3 (3) day-to-day papers having across the country blood circulation in Nigeria and an injunction limiting the electronic medium from more publication of the words grumbled about by Omale.

The prophet even more notified the court that NAN had on July 11, 2020 released an incorrect and destructive short article versus him on its web site– www.nannews.ng with the caption “HOW MAGU USED PASTOR TO LAUNDER LOOTED FUNDS ABROAD REPORT”.

In evidence of the accusations, Omale called 2 witnesses– Phrank Shuaibu as PW1 and Pastor Onuh Simeon Peter as PW2 who were led in evaluation in chief by his legal representative and cross taken a look at by the attorney to NAN on November 17, 2021.

The witness tendered the 2 defamatory products suffered by Omale as Exhibits “A” and “B” and 2 certificates of compliance as Exhibits “C” and “B”.

In its defence of the match on April 11, 2022, Chafe affirmed on behalf of NAN and throughout interrogation by the legal representative to Omale, Chafe might not supply the supposed report he declared to have actually sourced his disparaging publication from.

Chafe confessed having actually made the publications (Exhibits “A” and “B”) on July 11, 2020 in the electronic medium. He even more confessed throughout cross- evaluation that he did not go to Omale to hear his own part of the story as part of the principles of journalism before making the publication.