The Coalition for Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection (CPFWP), a coalition of media and civil society organisations, has expressed concern over the blatant show of force and impunity against the Sahara Reporters, an online media organisation, at the apparent behest of Senate President Bukola Saraki.
A statement Wednesday by Dapo Olorunyomi on behalf of the 15-member coalition said the unhealthy measures against Sahara Reporters leading to freezing of the accounts of its sister organisation, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, which is a different legal entity is worrisome.
“Mr. Saraki had obtained a N4 billion judgment from a Kwara State High Court against Sahara Reporters on June 28th 2017. In the suit (No. KWS/23/2017), Mr. Saraki claimed that he was defamed in several reports and opinion articles published on Sahara Reporters between September and December 2015.
“However, in a puzzling twist, the judgment, which was against Saharareporter.com and its publisher Omoyele Sowore was used in obtaining a garnishee order that froze the account of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation a separate legal entity that was not named in the suit. Apart from the obvious fact that the judgment obtained against the online platform was implemented against a different and separate entity,” Olorunyomi said.
According to him in August the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation through its lawyer, Mr Femi Falana filed application asking the court to set aside the judgment made on June 28 by a Kwara State High Court and that through the application, Sahara Reporters is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to have entertained the suit in the first instance.
He said, “It is important to state that neither Saharareporters nor its publisher was served the originating summon in the suit. Hence, was never given an opportunity to defend itself. It is also a known fact of the law that an entity unknown to the law cannot be sued neither can it sue. Saharareporters Media Group is not known to the Nigerian law. It was registered and functions from the United States of America. It has no address in Nigeria and every publication is filed from New York in United State of America where it was incorporated.
“Aside the incessant delays and adjournments suffered by the case, sympathizers of the online platform were harassed and molested by individuals suspected to be the Senate president’s hirelings. We are concerned that efforts to move the matter forward have been met with a series of adjournment which now seems more like a delay tactic to ensure that the work of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation is stalled.”
He said that while the coalition recognises the right of Mr. Saraki or any aggrieved party to sue a new medium, the turn of events in this particular issue suggests a twist that is more than meet the eye.
“We call on relevant judicial bodies to closely monitor this case and investigate the contentious judgment and the resultant garnishee order, with a view to ensuring that the temple of justice is not desecrated in the service of any personal interest,” he said.
