From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Amina Arong, the People’s Democratic Party National Women Leader has won a ten million naira libel case against one Onawu Onor Alobi, the Olulumo ward chairman of the party in Ikom local government area of the state.
The national women Leader has in Suit No. HC/135/2022 sued Onawu Onor Alobi , the defendant, for writing a letter dated 22/10/2021 and an undated letter to PDP Screening Committee Appeal Panel against her.
She claimed the letters were malicious, libelous, defamatory and sought redress in the state high Court through her counsel, E. L.Mbotor.
She sought for exemplary and special damages in the sum of N200m only and N3m as cost of action but the court scaled it down to N10m.
The claimant further sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant whether by himself, his servants, his agents or otherwise from publishing or causing to be published the said similar words of the claimant anywhere.
The claimant further prayed for an order compelling the defendant to publish or cause to be published a retraction of the libelous and defamatory letters.
In addition, she prayed for an apology letters to Amina, PDP Olulumo ward Ikom, Ikom PDP chapter, PDP Cross River state and PDP National, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
In his judgment, Justice Edem Ita Kooffreh, ordered that N10m be paid to Ms. Amina Divine Arong by Onawu Onor Alobi, as damages for libel and N500,000 as cost of action.
Justice Kooffreh also ordered a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from publishing or causing to be published the said similar words of the claimant anywhere.