A witness, Linan Okapu, on Monday told an FCT High Court that the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, on March 30, during a news conference, named Raymond Dokpesi on the list of treasury looters.
Mr 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 Mr Mohammed and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
He alleged that Messrs Mohammed and Malami defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list.
Mrs Okapu who was testifying during cross-examination by Mr Mohammed’s counsel, T.G Akpe, claimed that she watched the news conference on Channels Television and also online (Youtube)
Mrs Okapu, who resides in the UK, told the court: “I am aware that the claimant is standing trial in a N2.1 billion suit at the Federal High Court because the media 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.”
Roselin Adomhi, a businesswoman, and Jiri Gwoi, a politician, told the court that they were surprised to allegedly hear the information minister mention Mr Dokpesi on the list of looters of the national treasury.
Also testifying, Jibrin Osogbwemoe, who claimed that Mr 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 Mr 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 February 27 and February 29 for the continuation of the hearing, at the instance of Mike Ozekhome, counsel to Mr Dokpesi.
NAN reports that Mr 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.
He further urged 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)
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