Ibrahim Lamorde, chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC), has sued Punch newspaper for libel, demanding damages
in excess of N1 billion.
Through his lawyer, Festus Keyamo, the EFCC boss said
he was suing the newspaper for its recently-published report: ‘Alleged N1tn
diversion: FG orders EFCC to probe Larmode’. Describing the report published on
October 27 as “false and untrue”, Keyamo said the publication dented the
reputation of the plaintiff.
“The fraud allegedly perpetrated by Larmode was
said to have dated back to his days as the director of operations of the EFCC
between 2003 and 2007 as well as when he acted as chairman of the commission
between June 2007 and May 2008, when the then EFCC boss, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, was
away for a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies,
Kuru, Jos,” Keyamo said.
Lamrode’s lawyer said the words, in “their natural and
ordinary meaning”, were understood to mean that: “The plaintiff is a fraudulent
and corrupt civil servant who engages in diversion of monies belonging to the
government. “The plaintiff is a bad and corrupt leader who encourages his
operatives to collect bribes from suspects.
“The plaintiff is a hypocrite whose
fraudulent activities date back to 2003 when he was director of operations of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.” Continuing, he said: “The
plaintiff avers that the libelous publication by the defendant was widely
circulated and read by millions of people in the world and particularly in
Nigeria where the plaintiff has several associates, friends, family and
professional colleagues.”
He held that the defendants did not conduct any
investigation into the truth of the allegations before publishing them
and did not offer the plaintiff any opportunity to respond to the
allegations.
The plaintiff averred that he has suffered tremendous damage to
his reputation and if the defendant is not restrained, it will further publish
injurious articles against him.
Apart from the monetary compensation, Lamorde
also demanded that Punch should tender a retraction and an unreserved apology.
He also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the newspaper, its
agents, privies or servants from further publishing or causing to be published
any libelous, injurious or defamatory words against him.
The Cable
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