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Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President has instituted a N600m libel suit against an online medium and two other individuals over the publication of a false and unsubstantiated report alleging that he destroyed farmland in Ebonyi state.
By the suit, Anyim is praying for an order of court for the defendants to pay him the sum of N500m as “aggravated, punitive and exemplary damages over the embarrassment, public odium, derision, ridicule, obloquy, mental agony and psychological trauma which the defendants’ publication has caused the claimant,” just as the claimant is also demanding the sum of N100m as cost of the action.
Anyim is also demanding an order of court restraining the defendants from making such further publications and to tender a full-page apology in major national dailies.
In the suit filed at High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on January 23 2020, Anyim wants the court to grant judicial orders against Moses Orji, Ogbonna Paul Arochukwu, and the Independent Communications Network Ltd for publishing what he described as “baseless, unfounded and malicious publication” of unlawful seizure of land against him.
The suit was against the backdrop of a publication on the PM News website: https://www.
The report alleged that between 21 and 22 January, 2020, “A bulldozer working at the behest of Mr. Chinedu Makwe and Livinus Uka (both of whom claim to represent Chief Anyim Pius Anyim and the Amagu Development Union, Ishagu, Ivo Local Government) forcefully entered into a farm owned by Mr. Moses Orji in Amagu, Ishagu and destroyed palm trees, economic trees and crops including yams and cassava, as well as farmlands.”
But Anyim, based on processes filed before the court, stated that though, he is a member of the community he was not a member of the committee constituted by the community to partition and allocate communal land to members of the community.
In his statement of claims, the former Senate President averred that the process of partition and allocation of the communal land has been on for over 15 years now.
Anyim insisted that the medium did not verify from him before making the publication, explaininy that the publication was driven by “malice aforethought and intent to inflict maximum damage to my name and character, and reputation.”
The claimant said since he is not a member of the committee and it does not take orders from him, the publication was false and a carefully calculated plan to defame his person.
A date is yet to be fixed by the court for hearing of the suit.
Among other reliefs, the claimant wants “An order compelling the Defendants to write to the Claimant in person, a letter of unreserved apology, over the embarrassment, public odium, ridicule, derision, obloquy, mental agony and psychological trauma which the said Defendants’ publications has caused the Claimant”.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, privies, assigns, or representatives, or otherwise, howsoever, from further publishing and / or alleging that the Claimant is destroying farmland in Ebonyi state.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, whether by themselves, their a gents, servants, employees, privies, assigns, or personal representatives, or otherwise howsoever, from further making or publishing any libelous statements or further libelous statements, against the Claimant and from further publishing.