A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered the Incorporated Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to pay ₦100 million in damages for defaming two operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Delivering judgment, Justice Halilu Yusuf ruled that the DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, were justified in filing the defamation suit against SERAP over allegations that they invaded the organisation’s Abuja office two years ago.
The claimants had accused SERAP of falsely alleging that they carried out the invasion, a claim the court found to be unsubstantiated.
“The plaintiffs have successfully established that the allegation made against them was false and injurious to their reputation,” Justice Yusuf held.
The court further directed SERAP to issue a public apology to the two operatives. The apology is to be published in two national newspapers and aired on two television stations.
In addition to the damages, the court awarded ₦1 million against SERAP as the cost of litigation.
Justice Yusuf also ordered that the total damages would attract an interest rate of 10 per cent per annum until the sum is fully paid.
A legal representative for the claimants welcomed the judgment, describing it as “a clear affirmation that reputational harm must not go unchecked.”
SERAP had yet to publicly respond to the ruling as of the time of filing this report.
