Appeal Court Reserves Judgment in Omale's Defamation Case

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved its judgment regarding the appeal filed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Ismaila Chafe against a ruling from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. The case stems from a defamation suit initiated by Prophet Emmanuel Omale, the Founder and General Overseer of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry International, on 24 July 2020.

Omale's suit, marked CV/2290/2022, was in response to a publication that included a libelous headline alleging his involvement in money laundering. On 8 December 2022, Justice Yusuf Halilu ruled that the publication was defamatory and ordered NAN and Chafe to pay Omale N100 million in damages.

Dissatisfied with this verdict, Chafe filed an appeal (CA/ABJ/CV/535/23) seeking to overturn the decision. During the recent court proceedings, Chafe's lawyer, T D Agbe, argued for the appeal's acceptance, while Omale's lawyer, Bar Okafor Kanayo, urged the court to uphold the damages awarded.