Ex-Nigerian Ambassador to Jamaica, Onoh closes defence in former Minister Onyeama’s libel suit

A Nigerian profession ambassador, Ms Lilian Onoh, has concluded her protection on Thursday in a libel swimsuit filed in opposition to her by a former Minister of Overseas Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on the Federal Capital Territory Excessive Court docket in Zuba division of Abuja.

Onyeama had accused Lilian Onoh, a profession diplomat with the Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs, of waging a vendetta struggle in opposition to him.

The ex-Minister sued Ms Onoh for libel earlier than Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya.

Nonetheless, Ms Onoh, a former Nigerian ambassador to Namibia and Jamaica and daughter of the late Christian Onoh, an erstwhile governor of outdated Anambra State, denied the allegations.

Onyeama’s lawyer, Agada Elachi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), whereas cross-examining Ms Onoh on Thursday, stated, “it’s evident out of your testimony that it is a private vendetta in opposition to the claimant (Mr Onyeama).”

The senior lawyer additionally requested Ms Onoh if she was investigated by the Overseas Affairs Ministry regarding an allegation of economic misappropriation.

In her response, Ms Onoh stated Onyeama, as minister, vigorously pursued private vengeance in opposition to her as a result of her sister divorced the ex-minister.

“Geoffrey Onyeama has been pursuing a vendetta in opposition to me as a result of my sister divorced him resulting from his psychological hereditary madness.

“Onyeama spent six years destroying my profession as a result of my sister divorced him due to his unhinged psychiatric drawback,” Ms Onoh instructed the court docket throughout a tense listening to on Thursday as she testified by way of Zoom from her base in the US of America.

She was led in her protection by her lawyer, Monday Ejeh.

Responding to the fraud allegation by Onyeama, Ms Onoh stated opposite to a media publication that she had been sacked from service, the ex-minister didn’t arrange any investigative panel to probe the allegation.

“Mr. Onyeama and the Everlasting Secretary (Gabriel Aduda) conspired and printed lies in Sahara Reporters.”

The topic of the press publication by Sahara Reporters about her dismissal kinds a serious defamation swimsuit within the U.S in opposition to Onyeama, Aduda, in addition to the media outlet.

In court docket filings, Ms Onoh accused the previous Overseas Affairs Minister of utilizing Sahara Reporters, a New York-based on-line newspaper, to defame her.

The ex-Nigerian envoy instructed the court docket that the purported letter of her dismissal from service was pretend, having not been licensed by the Federal Civil Service Fee, the hiring company for the federal authorities of Nigeria.

On the finish of Thursday’s proceedings, when Ms. Onoh concluded her testimony, the decide adjourned additional listening to until April 15 for the adoption of ultimate written addresses by Messrs Elachi and Ejeh of their shoppers’ fits.

Ms Onoh additionally filed a counterclaim in opposition to the previous Minister, Onyeama.

The decide famous that the 4th and fifth defendants – Akelicious Media Firm and Newswire Legislation Occasions & Journal – by no means entered look or filed any papers within the swimsuit.

Ms. Onoh’s petition to former President Muhammadu Buhari fashioned a serious thrust of the libel swimsuit.

Within the petition to Buhari, Ms Onoh detailed a collection of alleged corrupt acts involving Onyeama and prime officers of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs.

However Onyeama discovered the petition libelous, as he accused Ms Onoh of granting press interviews the place the problems had been mentioned.

Nonetheless, in her assertion of protection, Ms Onoh stated she performed her position as a patriotic citizen fascinated with ending corruption by reporting to the suitable authority, and by no means granted an interview to the aforementioned media retailers.

Ms Onoh famous in her depositions that the Home of Representatives had rejected the Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs 2023 finances estimates resulting from Onyeama’s suffocation of international missions by “unlawfully refusing to spend allotted funds.”