British court has ruled against Nigerian investigative journalist David Hundeyin in a libel case, ordering him to pay £95,000 in damages to BBC journalist Charles Northcott. The judgment, passed by the Royal Courts of Justice, follows allegations made by Hundeyin in his article “Journalism Career Graveyard,” which accused Northcott of misconduct.

Hundeyin’s article claimed that Northcott leveraged his position as director of the BBC’s Sex for Grades documentary to solicit sexual favors from Nigerian journalist Kiki Mordi, the documentary’s on-screen reporter. The court found these allegations to be false and defamatory, significantly damaging Northcott’s professional and personal reputation.

“I accept [Northcott’s] evidence that [Hundeyin’s] libel has had a very serious impact on him both professionally and personally,” read the court’s judgment. It also highlighted that Hundeyin’s actions caused “serious harm and distress,” justifying the £95,000 award, which includes aggravated damages.

Court Orders Article Removal
The court further directed website operators to remove the offensive parts of Hundeyin’s article. Despite a prior order in July 2024 to take down the defamatory content, Hundeyin ignored the directive, escalating the severity of the case.

Hundeyin was neither present nor represented in court when the judgment was delivered on October 8, 2024. Northcott, represented by Ms. Wilson, argued that the libelous article, along with accompanying social media posts, caused irreparable damage to his career.

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Background of the Allegations
The controversy stems from the 2019 Sex for Grades documentary, which exposed sexual harassment by lecturers in Nigerian universities. Hundeyin alleged that Northcott engaged in inappropriate relations with Mordi and unfairly excluded Oge Obi, who he claimed was the true brain behind the project. These accusations gained traction on social media in September 2022, generating over 40 million impressions, primarily in the UK and Nigeria.

Hundeyin intensified the situation by tagging Mordi on social media and daring her and Northcott to sue him. One post read, “Then why don’t you sue me for categorically stating that you had sex multiple times with [Northcott]…?” Another included a video of Northcott and Mordi, accompanied by disparaging remarks aimed at discrediting their careers.

Court’s Response to Hundeyin’s Conduct
The court condemned Hundeyin’s behavior as “trolling and persecution,” designed to cause maximum distress to both Northcott and Mordi. It also found no evidence supporting the claims of an inappropriate sexual relationship in the video shared by Hundeyin.

This ruling underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the legal consequences of defamatory actions, particularly in an era where misinformation can spread rapidly through social media platforms.