Anenih loses N500m libel suit against Oshiomhole’s CPS, TV station -Francis Onoiribholo

A High Court sitting in Benin City has dismissed a N500 million libel suit instituted by the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih, against the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor,Peter Okhiria, and the Edo State Broadcasting Service (EBS).
In a judgment delivered by Justice U.I. Erameh in consolidated Suits Nos: B/285/2010 & B/366/2010 between Chief Tony Anenih (CFR) as Claimant and Peter Okhiria (Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor), Edo Broadcasting Corporation and Bendel Newspaper Company Limited, who are the defendants, the court refused Ananih’s prayers to declare that a press release issued on behalf of the state government in 2010 was libelous and therefore refused the prayer for N500 million damages, among others.
Anenih had sued the defendants, claiming that a press release issued on behalf of the government by the Chief Press Secretary libeled him and sought N500 million in damages.
Justice Erameh, in her ruling, held that the defence of privileged occasion availed the first defendant (Okhiria) on the ground that he acted on the instruction of the Chief Security Officer of the state (the governor) to educate and inform the public on security happenings in the state and that such statement was made by the Chief Press Secretary in his official capacity as the spokesman of the government of Edo State, and as such, he could not be held liable for libel because the statements made on privileged occasion
are defence to libel.
The judge added that prior to the publication of the press release in issue in the consolidated suits in respect of the bomb scare incidence at  the premises of Edo State House of Assembly and Edo State Broadcasting Services,  there was serious  tension in the state over security, and as such the publication was necessary to keep the public abreast with the situation in the state.
The court, however, entered judgment against Bendel Newspaper Publishing Company Limited for failure to defend the suit.

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