A DELTA State High Court, Warri has dismissed a libel suit instituted by former Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, Oghara, Prof. Timi Akporhonor, against The Guardian Newspaper.
The claimant, Akporhonor, had gone to court over a story published by The Guardian on the crisis that led to the closure of the Polytechnic in May 2011, claiming N2 billion damages among other things, in respect of the said publication.
In a judgment delivered recently by Justice M. Umukoro of Delta State High Court 1, Warri, the court dismissed the action in favour of The Guardian on the ground that the claimant failed to prove that the publication was false.
In an interview on the judgment, The Guardian General Legal Counsel, David O. Fayemi, commended the court for what he termed “a well considered reasoning and the regularity of the court sitting for the duration of the case.”
Fayemi also praised the professionalism of the counsel to both parties in the matter for the early conclusion of the suit as against spate of indiscriminate adjournment prevalent in some cases.
According to him, the judgment was concluded early because “both parties co-operated with the court in speedy adjudication and dispensation of the matter.”
In related development, an Ibadan High Court presided over by Justice A.A. Aderemi has dismissed a suit instituted against three parties, including The Guardian, over an advertisement on ice block cooling machine.
The claimant, Incorporated Trustees of Ice Block Machine and Fabricator Sellers Association, had instituted the suit against The Guardian and two others seeking N10 million damages for the publication, which it claimed was wrongful to its reputation.
In the judgment delivered recently the court said: “Having considered all, I hold that this court does not have jurisdiction to entertain this suit and the suit is accordingly dismissed.”
