The Federal Capital Territory High Court commenced hearing on Friday in the defamation lawsuit filed by two operatives of the Department of State Services,DSS, against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP.

The case follows SERAP’s refusal to apologize to the DSS after wrongly accusing its operatives of invading its Abuja office in September 2024.

In response, DSS officers Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele filed a defamation suit in October 2024, seeking ₦5 billion in damages.

The plaintiffs also demand an apology to be published on SERAP’s website, in national newspapers, and on television, along with ₦50 million in legal fees and 10 percent annual interest on the ₦5 billion until payment is made.

At the hearing, Justice Yusuf Halilu advised the defense counsel to SERAP to review all six documents presented by the plaintiffs.

The judge emphasized that any objections raised would be addressed in the final written submissions.

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The session began with the cross-examination of Sarah John, referred to as Plaintiff Witness 1 (PW1), by the defense attorneys.

SERAP was represented by Divine Oguru, while its deputy director was represented by Oluwatosin Adesoye, who apologized for his client’s absence.

The plaintiffs were represented by Akinolu Timothy Kehinde, SAN, who confirmed he was fully prepared for the hearing.

Both defense counsels questioned Sarah about the alleged invasion of SERAP’s office, arguing that SERAP did not specifically name the claimants in its statements.

Sarah testified that the accusations caused significant harm to her reputation, that of her colleague, and the entire DSS.

After a session lasting about an hour, the judge adjourned the case to May 8, 2025, for the continuation of the hearing.

Crediblenewsng.com