Court fines Halima Abubakar N10m for defaming Apostle Suleman
Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has been imposed with a fine of N10 million for disseminating defamatory statements concerning Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court issued the directive on Monday, mandating the Deadly Plot actress to compensate the cleric with the specified amount as restitution.
As per a certified true copy of the verdict, Apostle Suleman accused the actress of circulating disparaging remarks about him on her Instagram account, subsequently picked up by numerous blogs and newspapers.
Justice Enobie Obanor, in delivering the judgment, observed that Abubakar was allowed to present her defense but failed to do so.
The judgement partly reads: “The statements published by the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @halimabubakar, falsely and maliciously written and published to the general public, are defamatory of the person of the claimant.
“The sum of N10,000,000 only to the claimant as aggravated and exemplary damages for libel contained in the publication of the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @Halimabubakar and caused to be published in several blogs.”
