The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgment in an appeal by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) challenging a N100m defamation award against the organisation by the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
A three-member panel led by Justice Danlami Senchi reserved judgment on Tuesday after listening to submissions from SERAP’s counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and counsel for the first and second respondents, O.S. Kehinde.
The appeal is against a judgment delivered on May 5, 2026, by Justice Yusuf Halilu.
In his arguments, Oyetibo maintained that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to award damages to Sarah John over a publication allegedly referring to Sarah David.
He also questioned how the trial court verified the description of a “tall, large, dark-skinned” woman without a photograph, urging the appellate court to allow the appeal.
However, Kehinde urged the court to dismiss the appeal, arguing that SERAP failed to establish that Sarah John and Sarah David were different persons.
He added that a person could identify themselves from a publication through the description provided, even if their name was not expressly mentioned.
The court also struck out applications by Columbia University, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of assembly, and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre seeking to participate in the appeal as amici curiae.
The applicants withdrew their applications after the court indicated that it saw “no need” for their intervention.
Justice Senchi said the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties.
