Defamation: Danbaba, APC Chieftain to Settle Case Out-of-Court

Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
The North-west Zonal Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir and the Magajin Garin Sokoto, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba, on Tuesday resolved to settle out-of-court a suit filed by the APC chieftain at the Sokoto High Court.

In the suit filed on March 17 by the counsel to Abdulkadir against Danbaba and the District Head of Gumbi, Alhaji Sama’ila Abdulkadir, the zonal vice chairman sought for N500 million being general damages suffered by the plaintiff arising from the defamation of character and reputation by the defendants as contained in the publication made by Danbaba dated August 19, 2016.

Other reliefs sought by the APC chieftain include a retraction of the defamatory statements and unequivocal apology to the plaintiff all within 14 days of delivery of judgment and to be published in three newspapers.

When the case came up for mention at the High Court yesterday, the defence counsel, Prof. Yusuf Dankofo, sought for an adjournment of the case to May 9, 2017 as his client was exploring the possibilities of settlement out of court which was not objected by the counsel to Abdulkadir, Jacob Ochidi.
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Malami Umar Dogondaji, adjourned the case to May 9 for report of settlement or for further mentioning.

He also adjourned till May 4, 2017 for the commencement of hearing on the two cases filed by Danbaba, asking the court to squash the proceeding of the Shariah Court and the one challenging the manner in which he was served with the criminal summon.

Danbaba, who is a member of the Sultanate Council, had in a publication few months ago, alleged that the parents of the APC Zonal Vice Chairman were slaves and that his father was bought at the price of two shillings.

Based on the foregoing, the Upper Shari’ah Court ordered the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police to arrest and detain Danbaba pending a further directive from the court for his refusal to appear before it despite being served with summon through the Secretary to the Sultanate Council.
However, Danbaba filed a suit at the Sokoto High Court, asking it to quash the directive of the Shari’ah Court.
He also filed another motion challenging the manner in which he was served with the criminal summon.