DSS N5.5bn Defamation Suit: SERAP witness admits to ‘No Invasion By Operatives’
A witness of the Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Kolawole Oluwadare on Monday admitted at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that he used some harsh words like “unlawful, invasion, intimidation and harassment” in some publications made against the Department of the State Service (DSS).
The witness who also admitted that SERAP has both local and international fund donors . That they used the words in the publications based on information supplied to him by one Vivian Amadi, a front Desk officer and receptionist with the organization.
Oluwadare admitted using the words while being crossed examined by Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde in a N5.5bn defamation suit instituted against SERAP by two operatives of the DSS, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele.
The witness said that the publications were based on the presence of two DSS officers in SERAP office on September 9, 2024.
He said that he was not in the office when Vivian Amadi called him to inform him of the presence of the DSS officers in the compound of his organization.
Oluwadare who was shown two exhibits, publications made by him against DSS read out the first paragraph of one of the publications where the alleged harsh words were used based on information supplied him.
In the publication posted on SERAP website, he raised an alarm that DSS had invaded SERAP office unlawfully, intimidating and harassing its staff and called on President Bola Tinubu to call DSS officers to order.
He however disagreed that the words used in the publications are serious allegations against the two claimants.
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