A Federal Capital Territory High Court has slammed a N10m fine on nollywood actress Halima Abubakar for publishing libellous statements about the Senior Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman.
The Court on Monday ordered the actress to pay the amount to the cleric as damages.
According to a certified true copy of the judgement, Apostle Suleman accused the actress of publishing derogatory comments against him on her Instagram page, which were in turn published by several blogs and newspapers.
In his judgement, Justice Enobie Obanor noted that Abubakar was allowed to defend herself in the matter but failed to do so.
The judgement partly reads: “The statements published by the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @halimabubakar, falsely and maliciously written and published to the general public, are defamatory of the person of the claimant.
“The sum of N10,000,000 only to the claimant as aggravated and exemplary damages for libel contained in the publication of the defendant against the claimant on her Instagram handle, @Halimabubakar and caused to be published in several blogs.”
The court also barred Abubakar from any further publication on Apostle Suleman.
