Abuja Court Strikes Out Criminal Defamation Case Against Lizzy Anjorin
A Federal Capital Territory Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has delivered a significant ruling by dismissing a criminal defamation case filed against popular Nollywood actress Elizabeth Aishat Anjorin, widely known as Lizzy Anjorin. The court's decision has brought renewed attention to the ongoing legal challenges facing the actress within Nigeria's entertainment industry.
Court Finds Case Fundamentally Flawed
Magistrate Sunday A.A. Adukwu presided over the case marked CR/25/20225, which was originally instituted by Abdullahi Adebimpe Mosadoluwa, the wife of a Lagos-based property developer identified as Ibile. The complainant had accused Anjorin and her co-defendant, Shakira Ayobami, of multiple criminal defamation offences.
However, in a decisive ruling, Magistrate Adukwu determined that the complaint lacked merit and was fundamentally flawed in its presentation before the court. The magistrate's decision followed a preliminary objection filed by the defendants through their legal representative, A.U.E. Ogboi, who challenged both the competence of the case and the court's authority to entertain the matter.
Procedural Violations and Jurisdictional Questions
The court identified two critical issues that rendered the case defective:
- The complainant violated the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 by "crowding" several offences into a single criminal complaint. Nigerian law specifically requires that complainants file only one offence per criminal complaint, making this procedural error significant enough to invalidate the filing.
- All parties involved in the dispute were residents of Lagos State, raising serious jurisdictional questions about why the matter was brought before a court in the Federal Capital Territory. The magistrate emphasized that this fundamental jurisdictional issue further undermined the case's validity.
After reviewing submissions from both legal teams, the court resolved all issues in favor of the actress and her co-defendant, concluding that the complaint suffered from serious procedural defects and amounted to an abuse of court process.
Case Struck Out with Costs Awarded
The court not only struck out the case for being incompetent but also ordered the complainant to pay ₦50,000 as costs to the defendants. This financial penalty adds another layer to the ruling's impact, signaling the court's disapproval of how the case was initiated and pursued.
For many legal observers and entertainment industry followers, this ruling represents a dramatic turn in a dispute that had generated considerable attention across social media platforms and within Nigerian celebrity circles. The decision highlights the importance of proper legal procedure and jurisdictional considerations in Nigeria's judicial system.
Background of Legal Challenges
This ruling comes amid ongoing legal challenges for Lizzy Anjorin, who recently addressed reports claiming she was arrested for defamation of character. Earlier reports had suggested that the actress was taken into custody following a petition by fellow Nollywood stars including Toyin Abraham, Iyabo Ojo, and Dayo Amusa.
The Abuja court's dismissal of this particular case underscores the complex legal landscape that Nigerian celebrities sometimes navigate, where allegations and counter-allegations can quickly escalate into formal legal proceedings that must withstand judicial scrutiny.
