Court fines Nri Chief N15.5m over defamatory comment on WhatsApp

Dr Okey Writes from Awka.

Today, Wednesday 15th January, 2025,  Anambra State High Court 1 sitting in Awka and presided over by Justice C. C. Okaa, ordered a titled chief from Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area, Chief Ambrose Obi-Okoye to pay a sum of ₦15.5m for publishing some defamatory comments on WhatsApp group.

Obi-Okoye had in village WhatsApp forums, a social media platform, made five publications against his kinsman and fellow titled Chief, Chief Godwin Okeke, who had established through the court that they were injurious to his character and reputation.

Delivering a judgement in the suit no A/366/2020- Chief Godwin Okeke v Chief Obi Okoye, Justice Okaa explained that evidence before the court showed that the statements were defamatory and injurious to the plaintiff (Godwin Okeke), adding that the defendant (Ambrose Obi-Okoye) had no justification to prove innocence.

He ordered the defendant to pay a sum of ₦15m to the plaintiff for defaming his character and additional ₦500,000 as cost of litigation.

The court also ordered that the defendant to tender an apology on the WhatsApp platforms where the said defamatory publications were made, as well as in the village.

Court 1 room

Speaking in an interview after the judgement, Counsel to the plaintiff, Barr. Chukwuebuka Okeke, represented by Barr. Gideon Egburu, described it as a welcome development and justice well deserved.

He recalled that the plaintiff had demanded for the defendant to pay the sum of ₦250m as general damages because of the five (5) libelous publications, an order compelling the defendant to write and tender an unreserved apology to the Plaintiff, and Post-Judgment interest at the rate of 15% per annum from the date of judgement until the entire judgement sum is liquidated.

Plantiff, Chief Godwin Okeke

“Lord, a cursory perusal of the Plaintiff’s suit would reveal that this is an action in defamation, specifically the tort of libel. The Plaintiff has pleaded with exactitude the five defamatory statements written about the Plaintiff by the Defendant and tendered them as Exhibits P2, P2A, P2B, P2C and P2D.

“In five publications, across two different Whatsapp platforms, over the course of two years, the Defendant maligned the name and reputation of the Plaintiff. In his defence, the Defendant has alleged that his five statements were simply abuse. However, the Defendant was unable to produce or tender a single statement by the Plaintiff that elicited his five defamatory statements.

Defendant, Chief Ambrose Obiokoye

“This also puts to naught the Defendants claims that he made the statements in prosecution of his own interests, as he admitted under cross examination that there was no statement from the Plaintiff that necessitated him defending his interest,” he had submitted in final address before the judgement.