Supreme Court Dismisses Dakuku’s Appeal In N6bn Defamation Suit

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, in a N6 billion character defamation suit instituted against him by former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili.

In a lead Judgment prepared by Justice Amina Augie but read by Justice Adamu Jauro, dismissed the appeal ordered that parties should bear their respective cost.

The apex court upheld the decisions of the lower courts which imposed a fine of 6 billion naira against Peterside to be paid to Odili as compensation for his defamed character.

Mr Odili had in October 2016 dragged Mr Peterside to court demanding N6 billion as damages for character defamation.

In the suit, the former Rivers State governor had claimed that Mr Peterside during a press conference in Port Harcourt defamed him in his allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike’s Supreme Court victory was hatched by him.

This allegation was made on the fact that wife to Mr Odili is a Justice of the Supreme Court.