UK court orders David Hundeyin to pay £95,000 as damages to BBC journalist

A United Kingdom court has ordered Nigerian investigative journalist David Hundeyin to pay £95,000 (approximately N201 million) in libel damages to BBC journalist Charles Northcott.

The court’s decision stems from a 2022 article written by Hundeyin, titled ‘Journalism Career Graveyard,’ which made several damaging allegations against Northcott, including claims that he used his position to obtain sexual favours from Nigerian journalist Kiki Mordi

Mordi was the on-screen reporter for the viral BBC’s ‘Sex for Grades’ documentary.

In the document shared online, the court held that Hundeyin’s publication had seriously impacted Northcott both professionally and personally, thereby awarding £95,000 (approximately N201 million) damages against the Nigerian journalist, who is on voluntary exile in Ghana.

“I accept C’s evidence that D’s libel has had a very serious impact on him both professionally and personally and caused him serious harm and distress. His witness statement adopts and develops the particulars of harm pleaded in the PoC, and I accept both in their entirety.

“The court awards C £95,000 damages, including aggravated damages. This is an appropriate sum to compensate C for the damage to his reputation caused by D and to vindicate his good name; and it takes appropriate account of the distress, hurt and humiliation which D’s false and defamatory publication has caused him, as well as D’s aggravating conduct,” the court’s document read in part.

The judgement, passed on October 8, 2024, also ordered the website to remove the relevant part of Hundeyin’s article, which it found offensive.

Ms Wilson represented the complainant, while Hundeyin was neither present nor represented in court. The court noted that it passed judgment in Hundeyin’s absence.

(PULSE)