In a separate legal action, Onoh has filed a defamation lawsuit against Onyeama and Sahara Reporters in Texas, USA.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and former Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia and Jamaica, Lilian Onoh, have concluded their cases before the FCT High Court in Zuba, setting the stage for the court’s judgement.
The lawsuit centered on allegations by Onyeama that Onoh had defamed him through a series of memos she sent to former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of corruption within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The proceedings culminated with the legal representatives, Agada Elachi (SAN) acting for Onyeama and James Okpor Esq. representing Onoh, presenting their final written addresses before Justice Keziah Ogbonnaya.
Notably, Onoh had previously requested that Justice Ogbonnaya recuse herself from the case, citing perceived bias in favour of Onyeama.
Onyeama was formerly married to Onoh’s sister, and Onoh herself is the daughter of the late C.C. Onoh, a former governor of Old Anambra State. Additionally, Onoh and her sister, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, made history as the first siblings to be appointed as ambassadors in Nigeria, with Onoh serving as a political appointee under Goodluck Jonathan and her sister as a career ambassador during Buhari’s tenure.
This lawsuit marked a precedent, as it was the first instance of a minister suing a civil servant for reporting alleged corruption to the president, an action Onoh argued was not only her duty but also protected under the legal principle of “qualified privilege.”
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During the trial, Onoh made allegations of visa fraud by a senior ambassador against multiple countries, including the USA, VAT fraud against Namibia by yet another senior diplomat, and the embezzlement of $2.8 million from Red Cross funds intended for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake by the Nigerian Ambassador in Jamaica.
Furthermore, the case revealed that Onyeama allegedly suffered from hereditary psychiatric issues, which Onoh claimed contributed to her sister divorcing him due to his “unhinged” behaviour.
Onoh testified that she requested Onyeama’s dismissal from Buhari, citing concerns that his mental health challenges were negatively impacting Nigeria’s foreign relations and rendering him unfit for his ministerial position. She also reported alleged acts of sabotage against Nigerians and Nigerian diplomats by Onyeama in her memos to the former president.
Notably, the case made history as the first major instance of Zoom testimony in a Nigerian court from overseas, facilitated by the updated Evidence Act of 2023. This allowed Onoh to testify and be cross-examined via Zoom from her base in the USA.
At the conclusion of the hearing on May 22, Justice Ogbonnaya did not set a date for the judgment, stating that she would communicate the date for her ruling when she is prepared.
Nigerian judges are expected to deliver judgment within 90 days after final arguments.
In a separate legal action, Onoh has filed a defamation lawsuit against Onyeama and Sahara Reporters in Texas, USA, with Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, and Gabriel Aduda, former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, named as co-defendants.
This case is currently before Judge Jane Boyle, with Onoh represented by Steven Thornton.