A Lagos-based estate developer, Alhaji Samsideen Akanni Sule, has approached the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over alleged defamation, harassment and malicious publication against two members of the Abolarinwa family and a senior police officer attached to the Zone II Police Command, Onikan.
The claimant, who operates under the business name SAS Estate Developer, filed the suit through his counsel, Dele Babalola, challenging what he described as false and damaging allegations allegedly made and circulated by the defendants.
Named in the suit are Alhaja Sherifat Tejumola Abolarinwa, Mr Habeeb Tejumola Abolarinwa and CSP Taofeek Tijani of the Zone II Police Command, Onikan, in Lagos.
According to court documents, Sule alleged that the defendants authored and circulated a petition dated March 19, 2024, accusing him of involvement in the alleged theft of two trinket boxes said to contain 950 grams of 24-carat gold reportedly belonging to the late Alhaji Tejumola Abolarinwa.
The estate developer contended that the allegations were entirely false, malicious and deliberately designed to damage his reputation as a businessman and property developer.
He maintained that the accusations had subjected him to public embarrassment, emotional distress and reputational injury within business and social circles.
Sule argued that the publication of the allegations portrayed him as dishonest and criminally inclined, thereby affecting the confidence reposed in him by clients, associates and members of the public.
According to the claimant, the defendants’ actions amounted to defamation because the allegations were allegedly circulated without proper investigation or proof.
He further accused the defendants of harassment and abuse of process, claiming that the petitions and related actions were intended to intimidate and tarnish his image.
His counsel, Dele Babalola, argued that the claimant had built a reputation over the years in the real estate sector and that the allegations had caused significant harm to both his personal integrity and business interests.
The suit is expected to test issues relating to defamatory publication, personal reputation and the extent of liability where criminal allegations are circulated through petitions and public complaints.
Legal observers noted that defamation cases involving allegations of criminal conduct often attract serious judicial scrutiny because of the potential impact on the social and professional standing of the parties involved.
Sources familiar with the dispute indicated that the matter may have originated from disagreements linked to family property and assets allegedly connected to the estate of the late Alhaji Tejumola Abolarinwa.
However, Sule insisted in his claims before the court that he had no involvement whatsoever in the alleged disappearance of the gold trinket boxes mentioned in the petition.
The claimant is reportedly seeking judicial reliefs, including declarations that the allegations were defamatory, as well as damages for the injury allegedly caused to his reputation.
He is also expected to ask the court for orders restraining the defendants from further circulating or publishing similar allegations against him.
The inclusion of a senior police officer among the defendants has also drawn attention to the case, especially regarding allegations of official involvement in matters bordering on private disputes and petitions.
Observers believe the proceedings may further highlight concerns about the use of petitions and law enforcement channels in resolving civil disagreements and family-related disputes.
As of the time of filing the suit, the defendants had yet to publicly respond to the allegations contained in the claimant’s court processes.
The case is expected to come up before the Lagos High Court for hearing in the coming weeks, where both parties are likely to present evidence and legal arguments in support of their positions.
Legal practitioners say the outcome of the matter could have wider implications for how allegations made through petitions are treated under Nigerian defamation law, particularly where reputational injury and alleged malicious publication are involved.
For now, the dispute has added another high-profile legal battle to the growing number of defamation-related cases being contested before courts in Lagos State.
