Sowore Omoyele runs a website called Sahara Reporters, reporting on news and current affairs in Nigeria. In May 2008 he reported allegations that the Attorney-General had received a bribe of US$10 million to settle a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and that the bribe had been channeled through his brother, Paul Orhii, who was living in Texas. In response, Mr Orhii (who has since been appointed Director-General of the Nigerian Food and Drug Administration) launched a US$25 million defamation suit in Texas against Omoyele. Having been contacted on Omoyele’s behalf by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the MLDI identified a respected Texas media lawyer who was willing to take the case on a pro bono basis, and helped with the expenses.
Recent News
Landmark Ruling: Kenya’s High Court Declares Colonial-era Subversion Laws Unconstitutional
Media Defence welcomes the verdict of the High Court in Nakuru, striking down sections of the Kenyan Penal Code which criminalise subversion, citing them as relics of colonial oppression that curtail freedom of expression. Justice Samwel Mohochi, delivering the judgment, asserted that these provisions were overly broad and vague, stifling dissent rather than serving any […]
UN Rapporteurs Call for Protection of Brazilian Journalist Schirlei Alves
UN Rapporteurs Call for Protection of Brazilian Journalist Schirlei Alves Amid Defamation Charges Stemming from Rape Trial Coverage A letter dispatched by UN rapporteurs to the Brazilian Government calls for protective measures for women journalists covering cases of sexual crimes. The letter also denounces the conviction of Brazilian investigative journalist and women’s rights defender, Schirlei […]
Convite à apresentação de candidaturas: Cirurgia de litígio em português na África Subsariana
Cirurgia de litígio em português na África Subsariana Aplique aqui 23 a 25 de julho de 2024 em Nairobi, Quénia Prazo: 3 de maio A Media Defence está a convidar advogados sediados na África Subsariana que falem português a candidatarem-se a participar numa próxima cirurgia de litígio sobre o direito à liberdade de expressão e […]