Mohammed and Dokpesi
A witness, Ms Linan Okapu, on Monday told an FCT High Court that the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, on March 30, during a news conference, named Chief Raymond Dokpesi on the list of treasury looters.
Dokpesi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, filed the suit on April 30, seeking N5 billion damages from Mohammed and the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
He alleged that Mohammed and Malami, defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list.
Okapu who was testifying during cross-examination by Mohammed’s Counsel, Mr T.G Akpe, claimed that she watched the news conference on Channels Television and also on line (Youtube)
Okapu, who resides in the UK told the court, “I am aware that the claimant is standing trial in a N 2.1 billion suit at the Federal High Court because of the medial reports proceedings of the case. I also heard the information minister calling the claimant name and a couple of others were listed as looters of the National Treasury”.
Ms Roselin Adomhi, a business woman, and Jiri Gwoi, a politician, told the court that they were surprise to hear that the information minister listed Dokpesi on the list of looters of the national treasury.
Also testifying, Chief Jibrin Osogbwemoe, who claimed that Dokpesi was his childhood friend, informed the court that he was disgusted with the claimant after hearing the news.
He also said that he advised Dokpesi to clear his name by taking the case to court.
“The pronouncement of Chief Dokpesi as a looter, disturbed me since he and I are good friends.”
After listening to the testimony, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, adjourned the case until Feb.27 and Feb. 29, for continuation of hearing, at the instance of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) counsel to Dokpesi.
NAN reports that Dokpesi besides the N5 billion damages, is also asking the court to order the defendants to publish a full retraction of the said publication.
He further asked the court to order the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to him in all the major electronic and print media outlets in the country, urging the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, partners, representatives, from further writing, publishing defamatory words about the plaintiff. (NAN)
