A Federal Capital Territory High Court has fined a Nollywood actress, Halima Abubakar, N10 million for defaming the Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
According to a Certified True Copy of the judgment, the actress was also barred from any further publication on the cleric
Apostle Suleman had accused Abubakar of publishing libelous statements about him on her Instagram page, which was in turn published by several blogs and newspapers.
He said the actress accused him of being a womaniser and diabolical, among others.
In his judgment, Justice Enobie Obanor noted that Abubakar was allowed to defend herself in the matter, but failed to do so.
The judgment read: “This issue is therefore resolved in favour of the claimant. Accordingly, judgment is entered in favour of the claimant as follows:
“A declaration that 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 N10,000,000.00 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.”