Looters list: Dokpesi sues FG, demands N5bn damages
Founder of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Ray Power 100.5 FM, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has dragged the Federal Government to court for listing his name among those that looted Nigerian treasury.
In the suit filed at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Dokpesi is asking the court to award him N5billion against the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and the Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami on grounds that they have defamed his character before the public through that publication.
Dokpesi is also demanding a refund of N50 million which he described as the cost of instituting the charges. Dokpesi also instituted another suit asking the court to enforce his fundamental rights which he said have been abused by the defendants.
The Federal Government recently published names of some prominent Nigerians that it said allegedly stole public funds, the list generated controversy with many Nigerian saying it targeted mostly names of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, the sum of N2.1billion was listed against Chief Dokpesi after which the media mogul wrote and demanded for retraction of the publication with apologies.
In the defamation suit, Dokpesi cited quotes from a press briefing organised by the information ministry wherein a reference was made to his ongoing trial, stressing that the briefing was solely intended to discredit his personality.
He also accused the defendants in the suit of causing him trauma and loss of trust among well-meaning Nigerians. He therefore demanded that the court order the defendants to stop further publication of his name in such lists.
In the fundamental rights suit also dated April 30, the DAAR Comminucations boss want the court to determine if the remarks related to him during the press briefing by Mohammed did not amount to an abuse of his fundamental rights, as enshrined in sections 36 (5) of the Constitution; a violation of the provisions of section 133 (4), (5) and (9) of the Criminal Code Act, as well as section 155 of the penal code laws of the federation, 2004.
In addition, Dokpesi is asking the court to determine whether Mohammed had the legal authority to pronounce him a public looter, without an order of court, to that effect.
