Source: https://www.legalnaija.com/2017/01/defences-to-defamation-by-simileoluwa.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 14:27:59+00:00

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According to the Black’s Law Dictionary, “Defamation” means “Holding up of a person to ridicule, scorn or contempt in a respectable and considerable part of the community; may be criminal as well as civil”. It states further that Defamation is the unprivileged publication of false statements which naturally and proximately result in injury to another.
A communication is defamatory if it tends so to harm the reputation of another as to lower him in the estimation of the community or to deter third persons from associating or dealing with him. The meaning of a communication is that which the recipient correctly, or mistakenly but reasonably understands that it was intended to express.
It is important to note that Libel and Slander are both methods of Defamation, the former being expressed by print, written pictures or signs: the latter by oral expressions or transitory gestures Defamatory Statements may consist of libel (written publication) and slander.
(c) Whether the words referred to the plaintiff. See AFRICAN NEWSPAPER LTD. V. CIROMA (1996) 1 NWLR (PT. 423) 156 AND UGO V. OKAFOR (1996) 3 NWLR (PT. 438) 542.
The apex court held in NSIRIM V. NSIRIM (1990) 3 NWLR (PT. 138) 285, 297-298 PER OBASEKI, JSC that, "By publication is meant the making known of the defamatory matter to some persons other than the person of whom it is written ....It is the reduction of libelous matter to writing and its delivery to any person other than the person injuriously affected thereby that is publication. The name of the person to whom delivery of the libelous document was made must be pleaded".
d) either actionability of the statement irrespective of harm or the existence of special harm.
In AYUBA v. SULE (2016) LPELR-40263(CA) it was held that "The first requirement that is essential in slander is malice. To succeed in a case of slander, the plaintiff must prove-the words spoken, communication of the words to a third person, falsity of the communication against the plaintiff, damage must be proved except the slander is actionable per se, the actual words spoken should be reproduced in the language spoken with an English translation. See AMAHAGWU V. NGWOKOR (2004) ALL FWLR (PT.219) 1091 AT 1098, YESUFU V. GBADAMOSI (1993) 6 NWLR (PT.299) 363.
In THE SKETCH PUBLISHING CO. LTD. AND ANOR. V. ALHAJI AZEEZ A. AJAGBEMOKEREF(1989) 1 NWLR (PT. 100) 678I , the word defamation is defined as "a statement which if published of and concerning a person, is calculated to lower him in the estimation of right thinking men or cause him to be shunned or avoided or to expose him to hatred, contempt, or ridicule or to convey an imputation on him disparaging or injurious to him in his office, profession, calling, trade or business."
That the statement was fair comment on a matter of public interest.
-That the statement was made in the heat of an argument."
"There are a number of defences available to a claim of defamation which includejustification, fair comment, privilege which may be either absolute or qualified."
“"Under a plea of justification, the onus is on the defendant to show that the alleged libel is true; in fair comment the onus is on him to show that the facts commented on are acknowledged to exist or are true. If the defendant brings evidence to prove the facts commented upon to be true or acknowledged to exist, the plaintiff should be entitled to produce evidence that they are neither acknowledged nor true. But he cannot divide his proof, bringing forward part of his evidence in the first instance and more in reply.
However, it is important to note that the defence of justification is only relevant only were publication is proved and libel is established. SEE AYENI V ADESINA (2007) ALL FWLR (PT. 370) 1451 AT 1476 - 1477 PARAS. H - A (CA).
A defence of justification is therefore a complete bar to any relief sought by a party who complains of defamation. It is appropriately described in the Latin maxim:damnum absque injuria". Until it is clearly established that an alleged libel is untrue, it will not be clear that any right at all has been infringed: See REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF AMORC V. AWONIYI (1991) 3 NWLR (PT. 178) 245 AT 257.
It is important to note that whenever a defence of justification or qualified privilege is raised in a case of libel, the party raising the defence is understood to be admitting that he published the words complained of but contends that the words published are true and he is therefore not guilty of defamation. At common law, under a plea of justification, the defendant must prove the truth of all the material statements in the libel. There must be a substantial justification of the libel. See: DUMBO & ORS. V. IGBUGBOE (1983) ALL NLR 37; (1983) 2 SC 14; AYENI V. ADESINA (2007) ALL FWLR (370) 1451 @ 1471 E." Per KEKERE-EKUN, J.C.A (Pp. 48-49, paras. G-C).
Fair Comment must be based on facts truly stated, must not contain imputations of corrupt or dishonourable motives except as warranted by the fact, and must be honest expression of writer’s real opinion.
"This is so because before a comment can be said to be fair the truth of the facts upon which it is predicated must first be established - - - For the law does not permit a person to invent untrue facts or stories about a man and then comment upon them. In other words, the defence of fair comment will avail the Defendants if they can show that they had only, in good faith expressed their opinion based on facts truly stated on a matter of public interest".
According to the Black’s Law Dictionary, Privilege is an exemption from liability for the speaking or publishing of defamatory words concerning another, based on the fact that the statement was made in performance of a political, judicial social or personal duty.
Privilege is either absolute or conditional. The former protects the speaker or publisher without reference to his motives or the truth or falsity of the statement. This may be claimed in respect, for instance, to statements made in legislative debates, in reports of military officers to their superiors in the line of their duty, and statements made in legislative debates, in statements made by judges, witnesses, and jurors in trials in Court.
Conditional or Qualified Privilege will protect the speaker or publisher unless actual malice and knowledge of the falsity of the statement is shown. This may be claimed where the communication related to a matter of public interest or where it was necessary to protect one’s private interest and was made to a person having an interest in the same matter.
"Qualified privilege is a defence to an untrue publication. It can only be claimed however when the occasion of the publication is shown to be privileged."
"(1) The occasion for making it must be fit.
(3) The words complained of must be published from right and honest motives."See Horrocks v. Lowe (1975) AC 135. I pause to say that any privilege that attaches to an occasion on which defamatory words are published by one person to another is the privilege of the publisher alone. The person to whom it is published needs no privilege, as he commits no tort. It follows that, a defence of qualified privilege, if it is not characterised by gross and unreasoning prejudice, is a complete defence. "
In bringing an action for defamation where such statement was made on an occasion of qualified privilege, there must exist defamation where such statement was made on an occasion of qualified privilege. Where the defence of qualified privilege or fair comment is pleaded, and the plaintiff has served a reply alleging express malice, the condition of mind of the defendant when he published the words is a matter directly in issue See ATOYEBI V. ODUDU (1990) NWLR (PT.157) 384(1990) 9-10 S.C 150 PER OLATAWURA, J.S.C. (P. 21, PARAS. D-E).
From all that has been stated above, one must note that in order to succeed in action against defamation, the essential elements of the defence must be strictly adhered.
Simileoluwa is an Associate at Ayodele, Olugbenga & Co.
Posts and comments by the publisher of this legal article do not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
Ed's Note - This article was originally published here.

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