By DADA AYOKHAI
A federal high court in Abuja has scheduled December 5 to continue hearing the libel and slander case against Omobumhe Bob-Manuel Umoru also known as Jesus Army; Osilama Okuofu; and Hon. Boniface Paschal Ugbomeh.
The case, registered as Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1381/2024, involves allegations of defamation against the plaintiff , Senator Braimoh, in the form of libel and slander.
The suit was filed by former Senator Yisa Braimoh, who represented the Edo North district in the 6th Senate.
Court records obtained by Borderline News 24 indicate that the three defendants are accused of making various derogatory comments and writings about the octogenarian senator, who is also the leader of the Owan Clan PDP.
The trio and Senator Braimoh were members of several WhatsApp groups such as the PDP Unity League, Edo Rebirth, and Ominimini, as well as other news and electronic media platforms.
During discussions and various media presentations , the three respondents jointly and severally allegedly used foul language, which disparaged and maligned the person of Senator Yisa Braimoh and other members of his family during the nomination of his daughter , Hon Afie Braimoh as Hon Commissioner by the Former Governor Godwin Obaseki administration.
In his prayers, Sen. Braimoh made three significant requests: a sum of N5 billion as damages for libel and slander, an injunction to restrain the defendants from further acts of slander and libel, and an apology to be published in two widely read daily national newspapers.
However, there is a peculiar aspect to the case involving Mr. Osilama Okuofu, one of the defendants.
Similar to Daniel Bwala, a media aide to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP flag bearer during the 2023 presidential election, Osilama Okofu is often regarded as a master of doublespeak.
He was known to have launched a fierce campaign against the former Gov Obaseki, making disparaging remarks about him and his ambitions.
Despite this, he was quick to accept the role of a commissioner in the government of the very man he had publicly ridiculed.
