Court adjourns Okonjo-Iweala libel suit to November 26

An FCT High Court on
Tuesday adjourned the
N10 billion libel suit
filed by Finance
Minister Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala against an online publication to
Nov. 26.
The judge, Justice
Mudashiru Oniyangi, adjourned the matter to enable Pointblank
News Communication, the second
defendant to enter memoranda of
appearance in the matter. At the resume
hearing, Jackson
Ude’s Counsel, Mr
Mike Alaeto, urged
the court to grant
him an extension of time, to perfect
his appearance in
the matter. Mr Etigwe Uwa
(SAN) Counsel to
the Okonjo-Iweala,
did not oppose the
application. Okonjo-Iweala, on
March 5, 2012,
sued a U.S-based
online news
medium,
Pointblank News Communication
and its directors,
Jackson Ude and
Churchill Umoren. The minister is claiming N10 billion as
general damages and the same amount as
exemplary and aggravated damages for the
alleged libel. In Jan. 10 2012, the defendants published
a report “Okonjo-Iweala buys N1.2 billion
Abuja mansion’’ from Chief Fabian Nworah,
owner of EFAB Properties Ltd., in Nov. 2011.
(NAN