Tina Amanda
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned till 17th July for commencement of hearing into the one billion Naira suit brought before it by the Amayanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom, against eight chieftains of the All Progressive Congress in Rivers State.
The trial judge, Justice S D Green, gave the new adjourned date based on a request by Tuduru Ede, who is the counsel to some of the defendants in the matter.
TPCN correspondent reported that Ede requested the court to allow his clients more time to reply to all the applications which were not objected to by the claimant’s counsel.
Justice Green granted the application and thereafter adjourned till 17th of June for a pre-trial conference.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel to the claimant, Granville Abibo, expressed displeasure over what he described as a delay tactic by the defendants just as he expressed hope that justice will one day prevail in the matter.
However, contrary to the position of counsel to the claimant, Tuduru Ede who represented two of the defendants in the matter including, Asia. Ọ. Asita and Tonye Princewill maintained that it is normal for parties to be careful in processes especially when it involves high courts.
TPCN correspondent reported that the people of Okochiri kingdom and representative of a youth group in Niger Delta Region were present at the court in solidarity with the former Militant leader turned traditional ruler and to demand a speedy hearing of the matter.
Recall that the Amayanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom, had approached the court to demand one billion naira in damages from eight chieftains of the All Progressive Congress in the state for alleged defamation of character through the display of his image and caption attached to his name during a Pro-SARS rally in Port Harcourt in 2017.
