Court orders Tsav, Nigerian Pilot to pay N10m damages
*Ruling ‘grave miscarriage’ of justice – Tsav
A High Court sitting in Makurdi has ordered a former Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav and the Nigerian Pilot Newspapers to pay jointly N10 million in damages for libel to Abrahams Kwaghngu, a senior special assistant on special duties to the governor of Benue State.
Justice Ikpambese on Monday also directed the duo to publish a retraction of the defamatory and libellous publication in three national dailies circulating within the state as well as a paid advertorial on the prime beat of the Nigerian Television Authority, Radio Benue, and Harvest FM.
But Tsav in reaction to the judgement on Tuesday said that had moved to the ruling which he described as a “grave miscarriage” of justice, alleging that Governor Samuel Ortom and the plaintiff were aware of the judgment before it was read.
He noted, “during the swearing in of local government chairmen at IBB square yesterday (Monday), Governor Ortom spent the whole time talking about me. He even alleged that because he refused to share money with me, that was why I’m against his government. Well, if I did not engage in corruption while in the service of the Nigerian Police Force why should I engaged in corruption at my old age?”
Kwaghngu sued Tsav and the newspaper for describing him as a killer, thug, and vandal, who killed Hausa and Kabawa people during a crisis in Gbajimba-Guma local government area of the state in 2013 and also destroyed their property as contained in a story published in the Nigeria Pilot Newspaper of August 31, 2015.
In his ruling, Justice Ikpambese stated that considering the falsity of the story, Tsav had no moral, social or legal interest or duty to have published it in the media and Pilot Newspaper for public consumption.”
The court also held that it was abuse of powers for Tsav to enlarge his coast by renewing and wading into Gbajimba crisis when he had already found nothing against the plaintiff during General Atom Kpera-led panel, adding that Tsav cannot be permitted to shield himself from liability when it is clear that he was acting outside his statutory duties.
Meanwhile, Kwaghngu, has hailed the judgment in his favour, saying that the court had restored his dignity which Tsav had sought to lower before the right thinking public.
Tsav, a Public Complaints Commissioner in Benue State has however alleged that the governor threatened to use the court judgment to remove him from office but that he would not be deterred as he would continue to criticise corruption, nepotism and injustice in a civilised society.
