A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has awarded the sum of N500,000 against Mr. Olalekan Fatodu and his company, Leeman Communications Limited, for initiating a defamation case against Nigerian activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and Sahara Reporters Media Inc.

This was pronounced by Justice Oyindamola Ogala on Tuesday shortly after dismissing the lawsuit over the failure of the claimants to prove that the alleged defamatory material was published to a third party.

Stanley Imhanruor Esq, Principal Partner at PRIMEVIEW, who commenced the case while at Femi Falana’s Chambers, disclosed this shortly after the judgment.

Imhanruor said: “The court awarded N500,000 against Lekan Fatodu, and it is the second time the court would award costs against him over the same lawsuit.”

He further explained the history of the legal harassment by Fatodu, noting that the courts had previously penalised him over the same matter.

“A cost of N200,000 was initially awarded against him for bringing a wrongful lawsuit against Sahara Reporters Media Foundation.

“That was years ago when they joined Sahara Foundation as a party to the suit. So when the name was eventually struck out from the case, the court awarded costs against Fatodu as the claimant who initially joined the Sahara Foundation in the suit.”

He added: “The N200,000 damages were awarded against them over six years ago; that time when they joined SaharaReporters Foundation into the suit.

“The court ruled that the Foundation was improperly joined, and this was what led to the award of the damages against the claimant at that time.”

The case dates back to 2017, when Fatodu and his firm sued Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Inc. in court over publications related to public funds and contracts tied to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The matter had gone through several adjournments, cross-examinations, and the tendering of multiple documents, including public notices, certificates of compliance, and correspondence.

During the trial, the defence team argued that the actions of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were matters of significant public interest.

They contended that the second claimant had benefited from contracts awarded by ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.), despite no work being executed. To support this claim, the defence cited a publication by ONSA in The Nation newspaper on January 8, 2016.

The defence further argued that, following investigations, the Nigerian government released a list on March 24, 2016, naming companies and individuals allegedly involved in corrupt dealings related to ONSA contracts. The second claimant appeared on that list, which the defence also submitted as evidence during the trial.

Additionally, the defence maintained that the government had repeatedly alleged that Dasuki misappropriated funds allocated for combating insurgency through the use of shell companies and proxy individuals. They referenced several public documents and media reports to substantiate this position.

Culled Sahara Reporters