The proprietor of Daar Communications Plc, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, has flayed the inclusion of his name in the “list of looters” recently published by the Federal government.
Thus, he demanded a minimum of N500 million and a retraction from the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to avoid a N5 billion suit for listing his name in the roll-call of alleged treasury looters recently published by the minister.
In a cautionary letter to Mohammed, Dokpesi said the minimal demand he is making is to offset the harm done to his reputation by the inclusion of his name in the list.
Dokpesi wrote the letter through his attorney Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) warning that failure by Mohammed to immediately pay him the said amount would leave him with no option than to sue him to court demanding N5 billion. His letter was dated April 4, 2018.
The media propietor described the publication by the minister as defamatory.
Ozekhome said the publication has damaged his client’s “hard-earned reputation”, making him suffer ridicule, psychological trauma and business losses.
He warned in the letter: “Take note that unless you carry out the above minimal demands immediately to redress the incalculable damage done to our client’s hard-earned image and reputation consequent upon your defamatory and mendacious publication, we shall, without any further communication from us, commence legal action against you to redress your unrestrained and unwarranted assault against our client’s hard-earned image and reputation.
“Our client has since received several and unending phone calls, mails and visits from relatives, friends and associates as well as other well meaning Nigerians who have ceaselessly called to express their shock over the vile allegations in the said publications.”
Upon the said damage to his reputation, Dokpesi asked Mohammed to make retractions in four national newspapers and pay him N500 million as minimal damages immediately and should he fail, he would proceed to institute a suit in which he would demand a minimum of N5 billion as damages.