Businessman Demands N5bn From Anti Graft Agency For Alleged Defamation
A businessman, Dr Andrew Warri Foubiri has demand the sum of N5 billion, retraction and apology from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for defamation and malicious damage for allegedly declaring him wanted without due legal process.
Fuobiri who is the Managing Director A.M Projects, A.M Project Consultancy Limited, Medical Director Ranez Medicals and Director of Health and Missions International made the demands through his legal representatives, Chief Nelson O. Imoh and Kini Inemkpo Marcus, Esq in a later dated April 14, 2021.
The EFCC had made a publication in a national daily declaring Fuobiri wanted for obtaining the sum of N125 million under pretense and issuing a dud cheque.
According to the EFCC, Consequentially and in line with professional best practices, the Commission approached a court of competent jurisdiction for an arrest warrant which was used in declaring the suspect wanted.
But Fuobiri in his response said the anti graft agency acted in total and flagrant disregard to the rule of law as the matter was pending in a court of competent jurisdiction and had been scheduled to be heard.
He said the publication was laced with barefaced distortion of fact and was issued with the intention to damage his hard earned reputation.
According to the letter, our client’s attention has been drawn to, and he is aware of a maliciously actuated and libelous publication carried out against him by your Commission, authored by your Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity EFCC, and caused to be published vide Newspaper publication of Friday April 9th, 2021 at page 21 thereon.
“By your writings and publication aforesaid you put forward our client as an irresponsible, fraudulent, fugitive of the law, double standard and unworthy Nigerian Medical Practitioner and Businessman, and imputing dubious and unhealthy character standing against the interest and reputation of our client depicted in the aforesaid publication.
“This is not only unwarranted, libelous and destructive of his respected, well nurtured and sustained image, but also has the unfortunate tendency of portraying our client as an unreliable and irresponsible Nigerian Medical Practitioner and businessman in the eyes of both his teaming business partners, reputable patients, blue chip companies as his medical clients and patrons, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) where he has a major medical consultancy stakes.
“There is no order of any court of law in Nigeria, nor anywhere in the world that has declared our client wanted either by the issuance of a valid bench warrant of a competent court of jurisdiction, nor has our client been adjudged to be guilty of any known criminal offence under our statute books to warrant this onslaught against his reputations and persons.
“On March, 30 2021, our Chief Nelson O. Imoh Esq of Principal Counsel and Kini Marcus Esq appeared at the Ikeja High Court, before Hon. Justice S.O. Solebo where the matter was called, and in the absence of the Prosecution Counsel, My Lord Hon. Justice S.O. Solebo adjourned the matter to the 24th day of May, 2021 for arraignment.
“In view of the vexatious, damaging and image destructive defamatory activities of your Commission as depicted in your authorship and publication without any legal justification, and due process against our client, we demand an immediate retraction of the said libelous publication, unreserved apology from your Commission made in favour of our client.
“Same should be made to be published and retracted the defamatory publication in two National Newspapers circulating in Nigeria and on–line, through the internet cum all social media platforms.
“We also have the further instructions of our client in addition to demand and we are demanding a commensurate and assuaging sum of N5 Billion be paid to our client through our law firm Nelson & Nelson Chambers as damages caused our client by your ill-informed publication, it said.
