Alleged defamation: Court adjourns Ateke Tom’s case till May 9

A state High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State
capital, has adjourned till May 9, 2018 for pre-trial conference, a
case of alleged defamation of character filed by the Amanyanabo of
Okochiri clan in Okrika LGA, HRM, King Ateke Tom.

This is as the trial judge in the matter, Justice Constance
Green, ordered a substituted service on the State Chairman of the
All Progressives Congress and seven other members of the party.

Justice Green directed the court bailiff to use a substituted
means to serve the defendants in the matter after Ateke Tom’s
counsel, Mr. Granville Abibo (SAN) claimed that the defendants were
evading being served court summons.

Abibo urged the court to instruct the bailiffs to use a
substituted means to serve the defendants.

Ateke Tom had filed a N1 billion suit against eight APC
chieftains, claiming that he was defamed by the remarks and actions
of the defendants.

But the matter in Suit Number PHC/345/2018 seems to have been
delayed because the defendants summoned in the case had not been
served.

Some of the APC members in the case are Hon. Asita O. Asita, who
was the deputy governorship candidate in the 2015 election,
Chairman of the party, Dr. Davies Ikanya, Dumo Lulu-Briggs and
Sampson Ngerigbara.

A state High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State
capital, has adjourned till May 9, 2018 for pre-trial conference, a
case of alleged defamation of character filed by the Amanyanabo of
Okochiri clan in Okrika LGA, HRM, King Ateke Tom.

This is as the trial judge in the matter, Justice Constance
Green, ordered a substituted service on the State Chairman of the
All Progressives Congress and seven other members of the party.

Justice Green directed the court bailiff to use a substituted
means to serve the defendants in the matter after Ateke Tom’s
counsel, Mr. Granville Abibo (SAN) claimed that the defendants were
evading being served court summons.

Abibo urged the court to instruct the bailiffs to use a
substituted means to serve the defendants.

Ateke Tom had filed a N1 billion suit against eight APC
chieftains, claiming that he was defamed by the remarks and actions
of the defendants.

But the matter in Suit Number PHC/345/2018 seems to have been
delayed because the defendants summoned in the case had not been
served.

Some of the APC members in the case are Hon. Asita O. Asita, who
was the deputy governorship candidate in the 2015 election,
Chairman of the party, Dr. Davies Ikanya, Dumo Lulu-Briggs and
Sampson Ngerigbara.