Seplat’s suit against Persecondnews suffers another setback as court adjourns to June 14

The suit filed against Per second News Limited by Seplat Energy Plc has suffered another setback as an Imo State High Court sitting in Owerri adjourned the case without hearing on Friday.

Justice P. Nnodum adjourned the matter to June 14, 2023 as a result of what he called “a pressing judicial engagement’’.

At the commencement of proceedings on Friday, the Judge addressed the court and told the parties that there will be no hearing for the day as he would only deliver a pending judgment and adjourn other matters to a later date due to “a pressing judicial engagement’’.

Consequently, parties whose matters were not yet at hearing stage gradually exited the court.

Counsel to Persecond News Limited, Mr Oladimeji Adebayo said: “The judge had notified the court that he will only deliver a ruling and other pending matters will be adjourned.

“Having conferred with the counsel to Seplat on a convenient date, we conveyed our agreed date to the judge who then adjourned the case to 14th June 2023.

“According to the judge, he had an important judicial engagement relating to the commissioning of a new High Court.”

Commenting on the issues in dispute, Adebayo had said: “Seplat had served a writ of summon that the publication about the acquisition of Exxon Mobil was defamatory, but we have quickly notified the court in our preliminary objection that the court is in Owerri and our client is in Abuja.

“Again, none of the issues in contention took place or happened in Owerri. These, therefore, raise the question of jurisdiction.

“Nevertheless, we have also made it clear in our submission to the court, that the said publication by Persecond News Limited was done in public interest and intended for public good.”