The Supreme Court affirmed the judgments of the lower courts which ordered Dakuku to pay a fine of N6 Billion to Odili as compensation for his defamed character.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed an appeal instituted by a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, praying to the apex court to nullify N6 billion damages awarded against him for defaming the character of the former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili.
The Supreme Court affirmed the judgments of the lower courts which ordered Dakuku to pay a fine of N6 Billion to Odili as compensation for his defamed character.
This was made known in a judgment prepared by Justice Adamu Augie, but delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro.
Odili had in October 2016 taken Peterside to court demanding N6 billion as damages for character defamation.
In the suit, the former Rivers governor claimed that Peterside during a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital, defamed him in his allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike’s Supreme Court victory was hatched by him.
Odili’s counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), had urged the court to dismiss the appeal by Peterside and enter judgment in favour of his client.
Counsel for Peterside, Damian Okoro however asked the apex court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the N6 billion defamation suit.
Meanwhile, the apex court said Peterside's prayer was dismissed for want of merit.