A court of the Federal Capital Territory has fixed March 21 to begin a definite hearing in a case of defamation filed by two officers of the Department of State Services against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.
The officers in October filed a suit against SERAP after it failed to apologise for accusing them of unlawfully invading its Abuja office.
The invasion allegedly invaded the office a month earlier.
Among the reliefs sought by the DSS officers are N5 billion in damages, apology published on SERAP’s website, social media, and in national newspapers and on television stations.
In addition, they are requesting for N50 million for legal costs and 10 percent annual interest on the N5 billion until payment is made in full.
When the matter came up for definitive hearing on Wednesday, SERAP’s legal team raised several interlocutory applications and objections.
The objections centred on the court’s jurisdiction, that they were not properly served, and that the DSS officials lacked the legal standing to sue since they were affiliated with the Agency.
Counsel to second defendant, Hannan Ayanwale, prayed the court to discountenance the counter affidavit filed by the plaintiff and grant their application to strike out the matter.
Also, Divine Oguru, who appeared for the first defendant, SERAP, adopted the submissions of the second defendant.
However the presiding judge, Yusuf Halilu, said all the processes for definite hearing was intact and that the court was ready to begin hearing into the matter.
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This was as he wondered why the second defendant had already filed a defence on the matter.
He however urged that whatever objections the defendants have be submitted to the court so they can be determined and hearing can commence.
This, the judge said, was to avoid going back and forth on the matter.
He adjourned the hearing to next week after consultations by the counsels in the matter.
Meanwhile, counsel to the plaintiff A. T. Kehinde (SAN), who appeared with two others, described the submission of the defendant as lacking in merit and aimed at annoying, frustrating and wasting the time of the court.
Kehinde said they had responded to all the objections and were ready for the hearing to begin.
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