Former Acting Head of Service, Abia State, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Lady Joy Maduka who was recently retired by Gov. Alex Otti, has slammed N100 million suit against two popular Facebook users –Nwokeukwu Mascot Nnamdi and Bethel Agbarafor alleged libel.
She claimed that the Defendants wrote on their Facebook walls that she was sacked for allegedly embezzling N20 million, and diverting N13 million respectively, a publication she said was false.
In the suit marked HU/23/2024, filed before Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia, on June 21, 2024, the former HoS claimed that “the malicious and libelous publication” by the Defendants, had exposed her to “public scandal, odium and ridicule “.
The retired Perm Sec through her Counsel, Nwabueze Chukwueke of NCN & Partners Law firm, further claimed that the alleged “libelous publication, has lowered and diminished the estimation of the Claimant in the eyes of right thinking members of the society, including but not limited to her friends, business associates and family members”.
She, therefore, sought N100 million cost against the Defendants, and an order of the court compelling the Defendants to tender unreserved apology to the Claimant in two national newspapers.
A copy of the suit sighted read in part:” The 1st Defendant in his Facebook wall falsely published and accused the Claimant of diversion and embezzlement of N20 million and N13 million, respectively”.
According to the suit, “the 1st Defendant maliciously defamed the Claimant when he carelessly and recklessly published that one of the primary allegations against the retired Perm Sec involves the diversion of N20 million intended for workers; and looting N13 million from the Ministry of Environment account shortly after her promotion to Perm Sec.”
Recall that the Head of Service, Mrs Queen Obioma, had in a circular dated June 14, 2024, directed the former Perm Sec, to proceed on “compulsory retirement with immediate effect”.
No reason was however, adduced for the directive but the HoS stated that the action was sequel to a directive by the Governor.
