Court Postpones Tuface N53m Defamation Suit Against Blackface

An Ikeja High Court led by Justice Josephine Oyefeso has adjourned the case between musicians Innocent Idibia, popularly known as Tuface and Augustine Ahmedu A.K.A Blackface on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

The court case was postponed due to Blackface’s counsel absence at the court while Idibia’s lawyer, Mr. Opeyemi Owolabi was present at the Ikeja High Court.

Owolabi argued that the absence of the defendant has no solid ground since the defence failed to respond to the application before the court. He also held that the court should not suspend the hearing, but continue. He, therefore, asked for N100,000 as the cost for his absence.

Justice Oyefeso informed Tuface’s counsel that the defendant had asked for an adjournment, confirming he had written to the court, ascribing his absence to an ailment that led to abdominal surgery.

The case has been adjourned till October 2 for a hearing of motions on notice.

Tuface and his manager filed for the N50m defamation suit in April 2018, following Blackface’s allegations of copyright theft over singles, ‘African Queen’ and ‘Let Somebody Love You’, which he claimed to be the original owner and purported to have written before the collapse of Plantashun Boyz music group.

Innocent Idibia and Efe Omoregbe are seeking a declaration that the statement published on the twitter platform of the defendant on January 24, 2016, is defamatory to the first and second claimants.

They are also seeking “a declaration that the statement published on the twitter platform of the defendant is injurious to the reputation and business of the first and second defendants; a declaration that the defamatory statements made incited and caused to be published by the defendant on January 31 on 36.Ng.com is defamatory of the claimant’s person, character, office and profession.

Others are a declaration that the statement made in an interview incited and caused to be published on Premium Times online on April 23, 2017, is defamatory of the claimants and a declaration that the statement made by the defendant over video published by Pulseng on YouTube on November 6, 2017, slandered the person, character, credibility and calling, trade and profession of the claimants.

They pleaded the court for an  injunction preventing the defendant from  continued publication of the offensive statement defamatory of the first and second claimants as contained on his tweeter handle, Blackfacenaija; an order of injunction preventing the defendant from further making statements defamatory of the first and second claimants; an order of prohibitory injunction preventing the defendant from continued publication of the libellous and slanderous statements against the first and second claimants published on new site or video.