The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has accepted eight exhibits presented by Premiere Academy of Abuja in its N500,000 defamation lawsuit against gender activist Lemmy Ughegbe. Justice Kayode Agunloye, presiding over the case in the Kwali division, acknowledged the exhibits as counsel for the Academy, Barrister Olajide Kumuyi, submitted them.
Premiere Academy, situated in the Lugbe area of Abuja, is seeking damages for alleged defamation concerning claims that a female student, Miss Keren-Happuch, died on school premises as a result of rape. The institution has filed the suit through Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, requesting the court to prevent Ughegbe from making further defamatory statements.
The Academy contends that Ughegbe’s accusations about the 14-year-old student, asserting that she was raped and subsequently infected with sepsis, have severely harmed its reputation. Evidence presented includes a flash drive containing footage of Ughegbe speaking at a gathering of approximately 5,000 lawyers during the 2021 Nigeria Bar Association Law Week, where he allegedly made the defamatory comments.
Additional exhibits include three years’ worth of admission registers indicating a decline in student enrolment attributed to Ughegbe’s allegations, and online publications from Daily Independent and The Sun, which reportedly disseminated his defamatory statements. A letter from Awomolo SAN Law Firm warning Ughegbe about his comments, alongside his lawyer’s response justifying those remarks, was also submitted.
In response, Ughegbe’s counsel raised objections concerning the admissibility of the documents, arguing they were not properly introduced or referenced in the witness statement. However, Kumuyi countered these objections by referencing specific paragraphs from the witness statement. Justice Agunloye ultimately sided with Kumuyi, admitting the documents as evidence.
The court has scheduled March 18 to publicly play the video footage of Ughegbe’s alleged defamatory remarks at the NBA Law Week, and the case was adjourned for the cross-examination of witnesses. Ughegbe has expressed his intention to defend himself vigorously, stating he would not be silenced by the Academy’s legal actions.
