AKAAHS, JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The plaintiff a motor mechanic and motor dealer sued the defendant, a Police officer claiming N1,000,000.00 as damages for slander and lost at the Agbor High Court. In his brief statement of claim containing five paragraphs, he pleaded as follows in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 thereof:- “3 On the 14th day of February, 1994, at Ogbe market Umunede , the defendant falsely and maliciously spoke and published of and concerning the plaintiff to Madam Comfort Elue, Gilbert Uzugbo and one Patrick (a driver) and other bystanders whose names are yet unknown to the plaintiff the words following that is to say, ‘This man (meaning thereby the plaintiff) is a highway robber’ and that the defendant was going to arrange assassins and kidnappers to kidnap and assassinate the plaintiff. A The plaintiff there and then asked the defendant to withdraw the slanderous words and apologise to the plaintiff but the defendant refused with a bluff.
By reason of the premise…