Court Orders 4 Doctors To Pay N2.5M For Defamation In Enugu

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, December 10th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Enugu High Court presided over by Justice E. M. Egumgbe has awarded 2.5 Million naira (Two million, five hundred thousand) cost against four doctors working with Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Enugu over defamation of Character of a Senior Staff of the health institution.

The court ordered the doctors, namely, Ubochi Vincent, Unaogu Ngozi, Justin Acho and Ugwuonye Onyekachi who are defendants in the defamation case brought before it by a Senior Staff of the hospital, Mr. Afam Ndu, to pay the money to the plaintiff after proving that their allegations amounted to defamation.

Recalled that the four Doctors, had accused the plaintiff of rape, murder and possession of fake certificates, a development that made Ndu to approach the court in 2017 to seek for redress and damages of 20 million naira.

But, after listening to the arguments of both counsels, justice Egumgbe noted that both the plaintiff and defendants agreed that there was a petition by the defendant against the plaintiff to the federal Ministry of Health, where they are working.

The judge ruled that the allegations were malicious and made in bad faith and were therefore defamatory in nature.

She equally held that the interim report from the panel set up by the ministry of health to investigate the plaintiff has at today exonerated the plaintiff, adding that there is no evidence that Mr. Ndu has been convicted of rape and murder in any court.

Justice Egumgbe, therefore, declared that the allegations of rape, murder, possession of fake certificates by the defendants amounted to defamation.

The court ordered the defendants to retract the defamatory publication and publish same in a National Newspaper within 30 days with effect from the day of the judgment on the case.

It further restrained the defendants of their agents from further publication of the defamatory allegations against the plaintiff.

Reacting to the judgment, Ndu said he felt so relieved in the sense that people that should be held in high esteem made the allegations, adding that at last, Daniel has come to judgment.

In his own reaction, lawyer to Mr. Ndu Barrister I.O Adani applauded the judgment, saying it went in his Client’s favour because the defendants could not substantiate all their allegations against his client.