Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, for the commencement of trial in
a N120 million copyright suit filed against music star, Innocent
Idibia, popularly known as 2Face, his wife, Annie Idibia and their
manager, Anthonio Anifite over photographs allegedly taken at the
recent traditional wedding of the music icon and his wife in Akwa Ibom
State.
Emmanuel Okolo, an Abuja based photographer alongside his studio,
Papilonmexy is asking for six reliefs, two of which include N100
million ingeneral damages and N20million in exemplary damages.
Neither 2Face nor his wife was represented in court at the resumed
hearing of the case yesterday. Their manager, Anifite was however
represented by his counsel, J.O Uttute.
Meanwhile, a mild drama ensued when the judge openly admonished Uttute
after claiming he had filed his defence when he had not done so.
The judge, apparently irked, warned him not to show up in court again
if he was not prepared for the case. "You told me that you have filed
yourresponse, but looking through here, there is nothing to that
effect. And you are even smiling. Do you think you are here to joke?
Never come to this court again if you are not prepared. You don't even
know when the case was filed and you are not prepared for it," the
judge said.
Also, the plaintiff's counsel, Habeeb Oredola expressed worry over the
defendants' inability to appear before the court or be represented by
a counsel after they were served with the writs of summon.
In the writ of summon, Okolo and hisstudio claimed they were
contracted by 2Face's wife through a third party,identified as Ms
Chineze Anyaene to take photo shots at the traditional wedding held in
Eket, Akwa Ibom state in March, 2013.
The plaintiff said, he was reluctant at the beginning since the offer
was coming through a third party, but later accepted after he was
convinced that the offer was actually with the blessing of the first
defendant.
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