2nd July, 2023
LandWey Investment Limited has threatened to sue the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) and its publisher, Fisayo Soyombo for N1 billion over libelous and unfounded publications against the company and its chief executive officer.
LandWey, in a letter dated June 30, 2023 by its legal counsel, Godwin Omoaka (SAN), said the news and tweets by FIJ and its publisher, Fisayo Soyombo, that it has been running fraudulent real estate “ponzi scheme” designed to defraud the unsuspecting investors of their hard-earned funds, while also trying to intimidate journalists and stifle the freedom of the press, were false.
According to the letter, “In the past few months, our clients have observed series of concerted malicious attacks by FIJ Nigeria and Mr. Soyombo, in what is ostensibly a grand design to sully their good names and business reputations, through several injurious publications both on your individual verified Twitter and on the FIJ Nigeria website.
“Precisely, between February 2022 and March 2023, you have caused to be published and have continuously circulated series of very injurious publications and tweets targeted at our clients and ostensibly designed to malign their respective and collective integrity and good name.
“The recent publications of 29 and 30 June 2023, were wholly defamatory and were ostensibly calculated to inflict maximum damage to our clients’ reputation. Without a doubt, the words used of and concerning our clients, both in their literal meaning, and the innuendoes conveyed therein, were read and understood by all right-thinking members of the society to mean that our clients are fraudulent and have been running a real estate “ponzi scheme” designed to defraud the unsuspecting investors of their hard-earned funds, while also trying to intimidate journalists and stifle the freedom of the press.
“As you would have expected, as of the date of this letter, the damage caused to our clients’ reputation by these offending publications are immeasurable and damage continues to aggravate unmitigated for as long as these offending publications continue to be disseminated widely on your platforms.”
The company’s legal advisers further demanded an immediate take-down of the false publications, a retraction and apology in two national dailies from FIJ and its publisher.
“Accordingly, we hereby demand that you, FIJ Nigeria and Mr. Fisayo Soyombo, immediately take down all the above referenced offending publications on all your media platforms where they are currently circulating, and to cease and desist forthwith from further publishing, circulating, or disseminating any libellous materials about our clients.
“You will notify us of your compliance by sending an email to the undersigned containing proof that you have taken down and expunged the offensive and libelous words from your website and any other platforms where they are in circulation. You will also issue both on your respective platforms (website and Twitter accounts) and on at least two prominent national dailies, an unreserved public apology to our clients retracting these offending publications with immediate effect.
“Take notice that if we do not receive confirmation that you have complied with our demands, within 14 days, we shall, without further recourse to you, commence action at the High Court of Lagos State against you (as defendants), to seek redress for the damage to our clients’ reputation as a result of your libelous publications and shall claim the following reliefs: “Award of General Damages in the sum of 1,000,000,000 (one billion naira) for the injuries caused to our clients by the series of reckless and libellous publications by the defendants in the various media platforms; cost of the action on a full indemnity basis and 21% post-judgment Interest per annum, on all sums awarded to the claimants.
“In accordance with the High Court of Lagos State (Expeditious Disposal of Chill Cases) Practice Directions No. 2 of 2019, we look forward to receiving your response to this letter of claim by no later than 14 (fourteen) days from the date that this letter is served on you.
“We hope that you will allow wise counsel to preval under the circumstance,” the letter added