Court throws out el-Rufai’s N2bn defamation suit against Shehu Sani

Court throws out el-Rufai’s N2bn defamation suit against Shehu Sani

A high court in Kaduna has dismissed a defamation suit filed
by Nasir el-Rufai, immediate past governor of the state, against Shehu Sani, a
former senator representing Kaduna central.

 

El-Rufai had sought N2 billion in damages over comments
credited to the former lawmaker.

 

In the suit filed in 2018, the former governor said Sani
defamed him by referring to him as a “drunk, loose cannon and an embarrassment
to President Muhammadu Buhari”.

 

El-Rufai claimed that Sani’s statements are totally false
and injurious to his person in the eyes of the public.

 

Giving his verdict on Thursday, H.A.L Balogun, the presiding
judge, said the suit is an abuse of court processes.

 

Balogun said the same case was filed by el-Rufai in
different courts in the state.

 

When hearing in the case began, Kimi Livingstone Appah,
counsel to Sani, had drawn the attention of the court to the fact that the
former governor filed the same case in four different courts in the state.

 

The judge agreed with Appah’s preliminary objection and
dismissed the case.

 

Speaking with reporters after the verdict was given, Appah
said: “This is a victory for democracy and freedom of expression”.

 

El-Rufai and Sani have been at loggerheads over issues
bordering on Kaduna.

Source: Court throws out el-Rufai’s N2bn defamation suit against Shehu Sani

 - NigerianEye
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