Looters’ list not a violation of named persons’ rights –Court

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja,
ruled on Tuesday, that the Federal Government’s alleged looters’
list released earlier in the year does not constitute a violation
of the rights to presumption of innocence of those named.

Delivering judgment in a suit filed by the proprietor of the
African Independent Television and Ray Power Radio, Chief Raymond
Dokpesi, seeking the court’s declaration of the looters’ list as
void, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, held that the suit lacked
merit.

The court ruled that the disclosure of the alleged looters’ list
by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on
behalf of the Federal Government earlier in March does not carry
any force of law as the minister is neither the judge or the
prosecutor in the criminal case pending before the Federal High
Court against Dokpesi.

The judge held that if aggrieved by the possible injury done to
the plaintiff, he should rather seek a remedy through a
libel/slander suit.

Meanwhile, the court on Tuesday adjourned the libel suit
initiated by Dokpesi against the minister till November 9.

The court earlier dismissed the minister’s objection to the
libel suit due to non-appearance of the lawyers defending him in
court on Tuesday and fixed November 9 for hearing of the
substantive suit.