N20b suit: Court hears Obasanjo’s statement of defence on July 28

An FCT High Court on Tuesday fixed July 28 and July 29 for hearing of the statement of defence filed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a N20 billion libel suit.
A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Chief Buruji Kashamu, filed a N20 billion libel suit against Obasanjo in March 2014.
Kashamu said in the suit that Obasanjo referred to him as “a criminal and fugitive wanted in the United States” in a letter he wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Justice Valentine Ashi fixed the date after both parties exchanged court processes in defence of the case.
Ashi had earlier ordered Obasanjo to file his statement of defence and serve the plaintiff.
The judge, however, struck out a motion filed by counsel to Obasanjo, Boyega Oyewale.
Oyewale had asked the court to strike out paragraphs one to 10 of the plaintiff`s reply to the defendant’s statement.
He held that the paragraphs were irrelevant, embarrassing and scandalous.
The plaintiff’s counsel, Alex Iziyon (SAN), contended that the defamation of the plaintiff’s character by the defendant was actuated by malice as shown in the statement of defence.
The letter was titled: “Before it is too late.”
Kashamu is asking the court to award him N20 billion as damages he suffered due to the alleged libel.