Orji Versus The SUN

Fri, Oct 3, 2014

By publisher

2 MIN READ

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The Abia State High Court has adjourned hearing on the libel case between Chinedum Orji, an engineer and the SUN to November 11

THE court case between Chinedum Orji, an engineer, and the SUN newspapers is dragging. The Abia State High Court sitting in Ohafia and presided over by Justice Amanze Chikwendu Chioma adjourned the case to November 11, for hearing in the libel suit instituted by Orji,  against the SUN Newspapers and Ebere Wabara. The adjournment followed two motions filed by A. C. Arinze, lawyer to the defendants, to the effect that Wabara, second defendant, was not served with the court processes.

Although lawyers to the claimant led by Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, did not object the motions, he, however, told the court that there was a calculated attempt by the defendants to stall hearing in the matter.  He complained that the motions which dated July 9, 2014, and September 17, 2014, respectively, were only served them on September 29, an action he said was part of the effort to frustrate the matter from proceeding.

In his reply, Arinze said that they did not have any plan to stall proceedings of the matter and blamed the late service on location of the claimant’s counsel, which he said, was outside the court’s jurisdiction. Before adjourning the matter, Justice Chioma told the claimant’s lawyers to provide an address within jurisdiction for easy service of processes to them.

Chinedu in Suit No. HON/5/2014 dragged the newspaper to court for allegedly calling him “a terrorist” who was involved in “terrorist’s activities” in one of its articles on March 10, 2014, edition, saying that the meaning was that he is a law breaker and a criminal. In the suit the claimant is asking for the sum of N5 billion as damages for libel and an unreserved apology to be published at least three editions of the newspaper. He is also asking for an Order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from further writing or publishing the said libelous matter or similar one against him.