The High Court of Enugu State has dismissed the N500 million law suit instituted against Aro News Publication Limited and its Editor-in-Chief, Mazi Anicho Okoro, by the trio of Sir (Dr) Ogbonnia Ochonma, Mazi Michael Eze E, and Mazi Igboko Ogbonnaya.
While Barrister P.O Ikekpeazu was counsel for the plaintiffs, Barr Ifeanyi Udenze appeared with Barr Joy Obi for the defendants.
Justice A.O Onovo dismissed the suit on October 12, 2022, after undertaking a holistic review of its ingredients, holding that the plaintiffs had essentially conceded defeat in the matter.
Although Justice Onovo acknowledged the inalienable rights of the plaintiffs to appeal the judgment, he nonetheless ruled that they are “no longer at liberty to file the case before the same court and expect a hearing and a decision as if nothing had happened before.”
The plaintiffs first instituted the case in 2017 against Aro News and four other persons including some officials of Nzuko Arochukwu, Enugu branch, claiming N500million in aggravated and exemplary damages for a report published in the tabloid, which they found offensive.
Sometime in 2020, the court stuck out the case with a N100, 000 cost awarded in favour of Aro News, after they had signaled intention to withdraw the matter.
However, the plaintiffs later filed another case in February 2021, listing only Aro News Publication and its Editor-in-Chief as defendants.But after hearing arguments from both parties, the learned Justice, apparently finding the suit incompetent, dismissed their case against Aro News.
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