Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olu Daramola, a partner at Afe Babalola law chamber, has filed a N500,000 suit at at Ojodu Abiodun division of Ogun State High Court, against Tomilola Titus Farotimi also known as Dele Farotimi for defamation alleged to be contained in his new book titled “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”.
The suit was filed barely a month after an earlier one filed by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) over similar and alleged defamatory words contained in the book.
The writ, marked HCO/65/24 dated December 13, 2024 was taken on behalf of the applicant by Iheanyichukwu C. Uwa on behalf of the applicant, Olu Daramola (SAN).
The claimant, Daramola, is seeking a declaration that the book, titled ” Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System” authored by the defendant, in circulation within and outside the country and the jurisdiction of the Court, contained some defamatory words on its page 64 as published and distributed by the defendant, regarding the claimant is offensive, defamatory and derogatory and has brought the claimant into ridicule, odium, disrespect, disrepute and scorn in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society.
The claimant is seeking a declaration that the book as published and distributed by the defendant and regarding the claimant has injured the claimant’s character, prestige, pedigree and reputation as an honest, law abiding, competent, dutiful, reliable, diligent and trustworthy legal practitioner.
The claimant is therefore seeking an order of the court awarding N500,000 against the defendant being exemplary and general damages in favour of the claimant for the book authored by the defendant and said to be in circulation all over the country.
The claimant sought an order from the court compelling the defendant to publish an unreserved apology in the Guardian Newspaper and The Punch or any other two widely national newspapers retracting the said libelous excerpts as contained in the book authored by the defendant and within the jurisdiction of the court.
The claimant sought an order of the court directing the recovery and destruction of the book authored by the defendant and currently in circulation across Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of the court in both hard and soft copy formats from all bookshops, libraries, archives, booksellers, social media and online platforms amongst others.
An order of perpetual injunction was sought by the claimant restraining the defendant, whether by himself, privies, agents/servants, staff, officers, or any other person howsoever described from publishing, causing to be published or in any other manner circulating the said offensive book both in hard and soft copy formats authored by the defendant regarding the claimant.
The claimant further asked for an order of the court directing the Defendant to pay interest on the judgment sum awarded to the Claimant at the rate of 10% (ten per cent) per annum from the date of judgment in this suit until the judgment debt is fully and finally liquidated.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit now as the defendant, currently in custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) is yet to file a response to the suit.