A federal civil servant working at the Sustainable Development Goals Office, Mrs Aisha Al-Amin, has filed a Direct Criminal Complaint for criminal defamation at the Upper Area Court, Gudu, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, against a retired Director of Finance and Account, Mr Sani Muhammad.
She also dragged the retired deputy director, Mr Ayeni Richard, to court for alleged criminal defamation and intimidation.
Mrs Al-Amin also filed a civil defamation suit at the FCT High Court, against Muhammad who retired a few months ago, and Richard who just retired from service last Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
Mrs Al-Amin told our correspondent that she decided to seek redress in court since the men had been victimising her in the office, adding that she had been traumatised ever since the duo, without evidence, alleged that she leaked some classified documents to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to indict them.
She said, “These men have been victimising me, and they’ve instigated people to victimise me. They alleged that I leaked some classified documents to the EFCC, and despite letting them know that I did nothing of such, they never believed me. I have been traumatised, and I can’t just help it, that was why I had to sue.”
Amin’s lawyer, Danshitta Shittu, who also spoke to our correspondent, noted that it was left for the court, through the penal code, to do justice to the defamation suit.
He said, “We have filed a Direct Criminal Complaint for criminal defamation at the Upper Area Court at Gudu, and if they’re found guilty, they’ll be looking at about two years in jail. We also filed a civil defamation suit against them at the FCT High Court, and if they’re found guilty they’d have to pay monetary compensation to my client.
“Our client’s reputation has been damaged, and we have witnesses to prove that it is not the first or second time these defendants have moved to damage her hard-earned reputation. The allegations they are peddling around to damage her reputation are false.
“In April, when she was suddenly posted out of the office, their boss in the SDGs’ office and a Senior Special Assistant to the President, Mrs Adejoke Adefilure, invited one of them, the second defendant, to explain to the circumstances that led to her posting out of the office. They raised the same allegations against the claimants that she had been releasing official documents to the EFCC but when the SSA asked for the evidence, they could not produce any evidence. That was when the SSA invited the claimant to disregard the posting and continue with her work.”
When contacted by our correspondent, Mr Richard said he could not grant an interview on the phone. Meanwhile, Muhammad didn’t take his calls.
