The founder of Daar Communication which has two radio stations and the African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi, has sued the nation's Information minister, Lai Mohammed, as his U.S visa is revoked.
The recent looters list released by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, has made the United States government to revoke the U.S Visa issued to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Raymond Dokpesi, the media mogul has said.
READ ALSO : Gov. Okorocha Promises 'Sleeping Allowance' As Imo Workers Get Automatic Promotion
Accoding to The Nation, the AIT owner sued Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who announced the list and included his name, seeking payment of N5billion damages.
Though no date has been fixed for hearing the suit filed on Monday before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Dokpesi is seeking N5billion damages for alleged defamation of character.
Dokpesi who said the defendants allegedly sent his name as a looter to the United States Embassy, which in turn notified him on March 16 that his visa had been revoked, disclosed that the US Embassy told him it was because his name was among a looters list submitted to it by the Federal Government.
The plaintiff said the publication of his name as a looter was malicious since he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction.
Dokpesi prayed that the retraction and apology to him be published both in the social media and in newspaper and televisions stations.
He is also praying for an order compelling the defendants, including Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), to publish a full retraction of the defamatory publications and to apologise to him.
In the suit by his lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Dokpesi is also praying for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from further making any defamatory publications against him, and N50million as cost of the action.
The publications, he said, have prejudiced his constitutionally guaranteed rights to presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and that his right to fair hearing as enshrined in the Constitution has been blatantly violated.
“The defendants’ defamatory publications are malicious and calculated to overreach and prejudice my fair trial and for purposes of stampeding and cowing the court to convict me at all cost by agreeing with the defendants’ skewed position,” the plaintiff said.
Dokpesi said on March 30, the defendants allegedly defamed him by publishing his name as treasury looter in a news conference on the basis that he is on trial for allegedly receiving N2.2billion from the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
READ ALSO : Railways: Buhari signs international consortium agreement in Washington DC
Are you an artiste? Do you want your music to go viral and reach a large number of audience? Promote your music and Submit your story on Ujuayalogusblog.com by clicking here. For Advert Inquiries Tel/+44(0)7590363984 Subscribe to Ujuayalogusblog.com News!
For More: Visit Us at Uju Ayalogu's Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment