The management of Zinox Technologies Limited, a leading African digital conglomerate, has called for a public apology from senior lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, over alleged defamation and reputational harm.
Zinox accused Falana and his client, Benjamin Joseph, CEO of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited, of repeatedly making baseless claims against the company and its representatives. The demand follows Falana’s purported filing of charges against Zinox, citing a fiat from the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, which the company believes was granted without proper briefing.
In a statement released on Sunday, Zinox dismissed the allegations as false and baseless, noting that multiple courts had previously ruled against similar claims. The company clarified that the dispute in question stemmed from a contract between Citadel Oracle and Technology Distributions Limited over computer supplies to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). It emphasized that the matter had no connection to Zinox or its promoter, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh.
Zinox highlighted its shock at being named in the charges, reiterating that neither the company nor its chairman had ever been implicated in investigations by the police, EFCC, or any other agency. Furthermore, it pointed out that neither Zinox nor its representatives had been cited in any court ruling related to the allegations. The company alleged that this was part of a longstanding smear campaign orchestrated by Benjamin Joseph since 2014.
The company recounted various court decisions that dismissed similar allegations. For instance, in 2018, Justice Danlami Z. Senchi of the FCT High Court imposed damages of ₦20 million on Benjamin Joseph for false petitioning. Similarly, previous charges filed by Falana were struck out in November 2022 and March 2024, with courts labeling the cases as baseless and an abuse of judicial process.
Zinox expressed dismay that Falana had refiled the charges in November 2024, describing it as an attempt to embarrass the company and tarnish its reputation. The company alleged that the inclusion of its name and that of its chairman in the case was a deliberate ploy to harm their business interests. It assured stakeholders of its readiness to defend the charges while pursuing legal action against those perpetuating the false claims.
Zinox reaffirmed its integrity and commitment to transparency. The company demanded that Falana provide evidence to substantiate the allegations or tender a public apology. It also assured its partners and stakeholders that the allegations would not distract it from its business objectives.