Court orders Leadership newspaper to pay Tahir Fadallah N5bn damage

A Kano State High Court yesterday ordered Leadership newspaper to pay the sum of N5bn as damage to Tahir Fadallah, owner of the Tahir Guest Palace in Kano. Mr. Fadallah dragged the paper to court claiming N10bn damage over alleged defamation of his character. In a suit he filed before Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero in […]

A Kano State High Court yesterday ordered Leadership newspaper to pay the sum of N5bn as damage to Tahir Fadallah, owner of the Tahir Guest Palace in Kano.
Mr. Fadallah dragged the paper to court claiming N10bn damage over alleged defamation of his character.
In a suit he filed before Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero in June 2013, Mr. Fadallah also claimed N100m litigation cost from the defendant.
In his judgment, Justice Bayero averred that “The 1st defendant (Leadership newspaper) will pay as damage to the plaintiff (Tahir Fadallah) the sum of N5bn and another N100m as litigation cost.”
Justice Bayero also restrained the newspaper company or its agent from any further publication that intend to tarnish the reputation of the plaintiff.
He further upheld that the statement published by the Leadership newspaper on the 31st May 2013 was defamatory and has defamed the reputation of the applicant.
“This honorable court has observed that the publication by the defendant (Leadership newspaper) does not replicate the content of the JTF’s press statement. There is nowhere in the press statement the JTF mention the name of the plaintiff.
“Also, the statement which was issued to various newspaper organizations does not in any way mention the Ukrainian aircraft impounded in Kano with arms cache let along link it to Mr. Fadallah,” he ruled.
He further declared that the stories written by other newspapers and which were emanated from the state press statement have varied from that of Leadership newspaper.
However, counsel to the defendant, Mr. Ugo Udoji, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the judgment, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and assured of appeal.
“Even without contacting my client, I can assure you it will be shocking if such judgment goes without been appealed. The judgment itself begs for appeal so we are definitely going to appeal,” he stated.
Commenting on the outcome of the judgment, Mr. Tahir Fadallah said he would dedicate the N5.1bn to humanitarian services.
Mr. Fadallah said: “I am satisfied with the judgment because I am now vindicated by the court of law. And I intend to dedicate the N5bn to humanitarian services.”