Mr. Lekan Fatodu, a UK-based journalist and PR consultant has insisted that the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Mr Omoyele Sowore, should not be allowed to flee Nigeria but be ready to have his days in court over allegations of criminal defamation and assault preferred against him.
A statement issued by Solicitors to Mr. Fatodu on Wednesday reads in full:
OMOYELE SOWORE OF SAHARA REPORTERS IS URGED NOT TO LEAVE NIGERIA BUT WAIT TO FACE THE DUE PROCESS OF LAW
We are Solicitors to LEKAN FATODU, a UK-based journalist and PR consultant and we issue this statement as his Solicitors.
It can be recalled that Fatodu Lekan (Our Client) filed a petition to CP Lagos state, Mr. Fatai Owoseni on 10th January 2017 against OMOLEYE SOWORE of Sahara Reporters over criminal defamation, threat to life, Assault , Blackmail etc. The Police you may recall acted on the petition resulting in Sowore being arrested and brought to AREA F COMMAND Ikeja. Sowore brought Dr. Abayomi to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti to plead on his behalf.
After much persuasion, the respectable lawyer was able to open a window for mediation and offered reconciliation meeting in his office in Lagos for January 17 2017. . Mr. Fatodu objected in the first place, but in order for it not to appear as if he was hell-bent on fomenting trouble, he accepted peaceful resolution on the grounds that the defamatory publication by Sahara Reporters would be withdrawn, and an unreserved apology tendered. It was agreed that cyber exchanges should be suspended till Tuesday when a meeting was fixed, but not up to three hours after leaving Panti, Sowore started saying different things on social media. Mr. Sowore violated the terms of the temporary truce reached by both parties.
However while Our Client and our Law Firm represented by Julie Ifeonu ESQ honoured the meeting, Sowore Omoleye failed to show up for reasons best known to him. As if to prove that he only wanted to buy time, Mr. Sowore said he was no longer interested in the dialogue. Mr. Fatodu respected Dr. Abayomi that was why he accepted to discuss in the first place.
We are sure that Dr. Abayomi must have been shocked over the attitude of Omoleye Sowore.
Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters has been advised not to flee Nigeria in order to escape the long arm of the law. Since Mr. Sowore has decided to pull out of the civil discussion facilitated by Dr. Tunji Abayomi, he should be prepared to face the legal process ahead as instructed by Our Client. Sowore is counseled to rather assemble a team of lawyers that will defend him in court.
Although, he has consistently denied soliciting money, the evidences against Mr. Sowore are too weighty Our Client insists. Our Client has given Sowore the room to apologise for his falsehood, but he willingly decided to throw his food to the dog. The next option is to meet in court to face CRIMINAL DEFAMATION, THREAT TO LIFE, ASSAULT from the Police and LIBEL from our Law Firm.
There is no more room for talks, talk is cheap. Let the laws of the land take its course.
18-01-17
Signed
OSUAGWU Ugochukwu ESQ
SOLICITOR AND COUNSEL TO LEKAN FATODU
