The Federal Government and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, have been barred from publishing the name of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, on the looters list.
The restriction order was issued by the Rivers State High Court presided over by the River State Chief Judge Justice A. I . Iyayi-Lamikanra in Port Harcourt on Monday.
The restriction was given when the case against the minister and the federal government brought by Prince Secondus was heard.
Counsels to Secondus, Chief Emeka Etiaba, SAN, leading Emeka Okpoko, SAN, and Emeka Echezona Etiaba, had filed a motion seeking to stop the federal government, the minister or their agents from publishing the name of Prince Secondus among those on their looters list.
It also barred them from publishing anything that could further defame Secondus.
According to Secondus’ media aide, Ike Abonyi, Mohammed or his representatives did not appear in court on Monday.
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However, the judge directed the plaintiffs to serve the defendants the appropriate order of the court.
The case was adjourned to May 28 for continuation of hearing.
Earlier on April 6, 2018, the state chief judge had granted that the defendants be served by substituted means all the originating processes together with accompanying processes in Thisday newspaper.
The PDP national chairman had dragged Mohammed to court for defamation of character.
The minister had mentioned Prince Secondus in the list of those he claimed looted the nation’s treasury alleging that he collected N200 million from the former National Security Adviser, NSA.
But an embarrassed Secondus who said he never collected any amount from the former NSA through his lawyer Emeka Etiaba SAN wrote to the minister seeking the immediate retraction of the national chairman’s name on the list, payment of N1.5 billion damages and public apology within 48 hours.
The letter told Mohammad to note that if he failed to meet the demands after 48 hours, “We shall within 72 hours from today, proceed to a court of competent jurisdiction to ventilate our clients right under the law and shall further seek the protection of the court against you.”
Having failed to meet the demand, Secondus on Friday, April 6, 2018, made good his threat and filed a suit at the Port Harcourt, High Court, Rivers State claiming among other things that the court awards to him the sum of N1.5 billion being damages for humiliation, castigation, vilification attack on his person and integrity as a result of the publication.
