A Benin High Court has awarded Edo State Governor, Adams
Oshiomhole, N25million as damages in a libel suit he instituted against the
publishers of News of the People, a soft sell weekly magazine. Governor
Oshiomhole had dragged the soft sell weekly magazine to court demanding
N250million as damages over their report with the headline: ‘Oshiomhole’s sex
power exposed: Impregnates young girl six months after death of wife.”
The magazine had reported that Governor Oshiomhole
impregnated a student of the state-owned, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma,
bought the said girl a jeep and interfered in the academic activities of
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, on behalf of the girl, adding that Governor
Oshiomole used sexual performance enhancement drugs and that he had performed
traditional marriage rites precedent to marriage between him and the said girl.
The governor told the court that he demanded damages because
the said publication caused him and his
children psychological trauma, six months after the death of his wife, as the
libelous piece was widely circulated, to coincide with preparations for one of
his daughter’s wedding.
He said:
“When I called a brother governor to sponsor my daughter’s
wedding, the governor said he was confused, and asked me if I was the one doing
the marriage or my daughter. He added that he was reading a magazine which said
that I was about getting married to a university student, and that the said wife-to-be
was already pregnant.”
In his judgment, the trial Judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwen,
also ordered the magazine to publish a well-worded retraction and apology in a
similarly conspicous manner in an edition of the magazine.
He held that the governor’s evidence proved that the
magazine’s publication was libelous, and that even though the public has a
right to know about a public officer, such information should be in line with
the law and must not be in bad light.
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png){kind=small}
.png)
