Admin l Wednesday, February 01, 2017
LAGOS, Nigeria – Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan lost his suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos where her suit against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project SERAP, over allegations of “vilification and breach of human rights was struck out.
Mrs. Jonathan filed the suit in October last year after the group petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, calling for her prosecution following the discovery of $15 million in accounts linked to former aides of Patience Jonathan.
Justice Mojisola Olatoregun on Wednesday struck out the suit after the group applied to court for a withdrawal of the suit. The plaintiff had accused SERAP of using online, print and electronic media to publish malicious allegations against the former first lady, accusing her to having stolen 15 million dollars.
Patience Jonathan had prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in condemnation of the former First Lady either in all public media or through judicial process.
It said the campaign by SERAP was in breach of Jonathan’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
In response, SERAP had argued that the group was not registered as provided by the Companies and Allied Matters Act, and therefore lacked the legal right to institute an action. Counsel to SERAP, Mr Timothy Adewale, had described the suit as a complete “waste of time”.
