Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) refers to its court activity report on this subject-matter dated February 14, 2023 and writes to report to its Board of Trustees, Staff, Volunteers/members, funding partners, local and international development partners about the outcome of this case in Suit N0. PHC/1057/CS/2021 at the Rivers State High Court Sitting in Port Harcourt today, March 28, 2023 as adjourned from February 14, 2023.

The court sat today at the Rivers State High Court. However, neither the defendant nor his lawyers came to court. As such, the court could not hear the matter which was scheduled for hearing today for the first time in 2years.

It would be recalled that this Libel case over characters defamation was filed on the 1st Day of April, 2021 but till date, March 28, 2023 the case has not been heard due to what we know to be the filing of unnecessary processes, motions and absence from court as it also happened today among others by the defendant aimed at continually delaying and frustrating the case from being heard and determined by the court.

It is noteworthy however that most of the fillings and motions on notice had been ruled in favour of the claimants (YEAC-Nigeria and Fyneface Dumnamene).

While acknowledging the right of the defendant to file whatever he likes like the court also noted, it is on record that the court had earlier expressed unhappiness over these filings that have made it impossible for hearing to commence in a case it has jurisdiction over, two years after it was filed in court and after people will turn around and blame the judiciary for delaying cases.

In all, YEAC-Nigeria and Fyneface Dumnamene are not deterred and would continually welcome whatever Mr. Maobuye Nangi Obu has to file as his right and offer him more opportunities to do so, respond to them and diligently prosecute the case to its logical conclusion up to the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in this Libel suit.

Thus, following the absence of the defendant and his counsel in court when the prosecution team arrived, the case was adjourned by the court to May 9, 2023.

We continue thanking those who are with us on this journey till the logical conclusion of the matter.

FYNEFACE DUMNAMENE FYNEFACE,
Executive Director, YEAC-Nigeria.
28-03-2023