Court Reserves Judgment In SERAP’s Appeal Against N100m Defamation Award

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgment in an attraction filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) difficult a N100m defamation judgment awarded towards it by the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

A 3-member panel presided over by Justice Danlami Senchi reserved judgment on Tuesday after listening to arguments from SERAP’s counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and counsel for the primary and second respondents, O.S. Kehinde.

The attraction challenges a judgment delivered on May 5, 2026, by Justice Yusuf Halilu.

Arguing the attraction, Oyetibo contended that the trial courtroom lacked jurisdiction to award damages in favour of Sarah John over a publication allegedly referring to Sarah David.

He additionally questioned how the trial courtroom established that the outline of a “tall, large, dark-skinned” lady referred to the claimant and not using a {photograph} to assist the identification.

Oyetibo urged the appellate courtroom to permit the attraction and overturn the judgment.

However, Kehinde urged the courtroom to dismiss the attraction, arguing that SERAP failed to ascertain that Sarah John and Sarah David had been totally different individuals.

He maintained that a person might determine themselves from a publication based mostly on the outline supplied, even when their identify was not expressly talked about.

Meanwhile, the courtroom struck out functions by Columbia University, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of meeting, and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre looking for to take part within the attraction as amici curiae, or mates of the courtroom.

The candidates withdrew their functions after the courtroom indicated that it noticed “no need” for his or her intervention.

Justice Senchi mentioned the date for the supply of judgment can be communicated to the events.