BREAKING NEWS: N1BN Defamation Suit Against Ikechukwu Iroha Kicks Of, As Ken Ahia SAN Testifies

The highly anticipated N1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kenneth Ahia, SAN, against Mr. Ikechukwu Iroha commenced today at the Lagos State High Court before Justice O.A. Ipaye. This lawsuit arose from a controversial Facebook post made by Ikechukwu Iroha in July last year accusing the learned silk of involvement in fraudulent award of road construction contracts in Abia State.

According to information obtained by All Facts Newspaper, Ahia SAN, and his witness Barrister Onyedika Nwosu took the stand today, testifying before the court. During the proceedings, while Onyedika was not cross examined the the learned silk was cross-examined by Iroha's legal team. The defense is expected to present its case and conclude between October 30 and 31, 2024.

It should be recalled that Ahia's legal representatives, led by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, had issued a notice to Iroha on July 14, 2023, demanding a retraction and apology over the defamatory Facebook post. In the post, titled "PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES THROUGH CONTRACT AWARD?ÔÇØ Iroha accused had accused Ahia of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to fleece Abia State under the guise of road construction contracts.

The post, which was widely circulated on social media, implied that Ahia, who served as one of the counsel to Governor Alex Otti during his election tribunal case, was rewarded with inflated contracts to defray legal costs. Iroha further insinuated that Ahia held a major shareholding in the company awarded the contracts and questioned the legality of such arrangements, suggesting the jobs were awarded as part of a larger scheme to defraud the state.

Ahia's legal team has strongly refuted these claims, stating that Ikechukwu Iroha's publication was false, damaging, and intended to tarnish their client's reputation. They argue that the post portrays Ahia as corrupt and fraudulent, accusations they insist are unfounded and defamatory.

As the court battle unfolds, legal experts and the public are keenly watching to see how this high-profile defamation case will develop.