The Royal Courts of Justice in the UK has found David Hundeyin, a Nigerian investigative journalist, guilty of libel and ordered him to pay £95,000 in damages to Charles Northcott, a journalist with the BBC.
The court ruled that Hundeyin’s allegations in his article, “Journalism Career Graveyard”, caused significant harm to Northcott’s personal and professional reputation.
Hundeyin’s accusations included claims that Northcott misused his position as the director of the Sex for Grades documentary to demand sexual favors from Kiki Mordi, a Nigerian journalist who served as the on-screen reporter for the project.
Mordi is an Emmy-nominated journalist who worked with the BBC to expose sexual exploitation by lecturers in Nigerian universities.
In its judgment, the court acknowledged the severe impact of Hundeyin’s publication on Northcott. “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,” the court document stated.
It further noted, “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.”
Additionally, the court directed the website hosting Hundeyin’s article to remove the offensive content.
Background of the Allegations
The controversy traces back to 2019 when Mordi collaborated with the BBC to produce the Sex for Grades documentary. The investigative film revealed how lecturers exploited vulnerable female students by demanding sexual favors in exchange for academic benefits. Northcott worked on the project alongside Mordi and others.
Three years later, in 2022, Hundeyin published an article accusing Northcott of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with Mordi. He alleged that this relationship led to Mordi’s selection as the reporter for the documentary while sidelining another journalist, Oge Obi, whom Hundeyin claimed conceptualized the project.
After publishing the article, Hundeyin shared excerpts and hashtags on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), drawing significant attention. Between September 27 and October 31, 2022, the defamatory article reportedly garnered over 40 million impressions online. Northcott emphasized the widespread impact of the content in his witness statement, noting, “I worked with a colleague to run an analysis of the defamatory Article, and its associated hashtags and tweets by Mr. Hundeyin, to see how far it had spread… This analysis suggested the content had received more than 40 million online impressions during this period.
“A large percentage of these would have been abroad, but a very significant proportion of Mr. Hundeyin’s followers are in England and Wales. He was educated here, has been invited to speak publicly here … and he’s launched two books here – which are sold in British bookstores.”
Hundeyin repeatedly dared his critics, including Mordi, to take legal action against him. On October 1, 2022, he wrote, “Then why don’t you sue me for categorically stating that you had sex multiple times with @CNorthcott1 in the course of producing that documentary and that this formed the sole basis of your fraudulent ‘career’?”
In another post, Hundeyin tagged Mordi and stated, “As for the people who are constantly threatening ‘legal steps’ because my stories have exposed their true nature to their international donors, NGOs, and state actors, here is @WestAfricaWeek’s address. If you don’t sue me, you are all bastards. I double dare you…”
He also shared a video of Northcott and Mordi at Trafalgar Square, writing, “Hi @kikimordi. I’m sure you never thought this video of you and @CNorthcott1 would ever surface, but that is why real journalism will never die when people like me are around. Your ‘career’ is over, you glory hunting, honey trapping fraud!”
Court Findings
Northcott filed a libel suit, highlighting the professional and personal damages caused by Hundeyin’s statements. The court ruled in his favor, stating that Hundeyin’s allegations were baseless. It emphasized that the video Hundeyin shared offered no evidence to support his claims of an inappropriate relationship between Northcott and Mordi.
The judgment also criticized Hundeyin’s post-publication conduct, describing it as aggravated harassment. “All of D’s behavior post-publication comfortably falls within the principles in relation to aggravated damages that I outlined earlier,” the court noted.
“D, having seriously libeled C, then embarked upon a campaign of trolling and persecution in a manner calculated to cause C and Ms. Mordi maximum distress and damage. Moreover, he has failed to take down the Article as ordered by this court in July.”
Despite the court’s directive in July to remove the defamatory article, Hundeyin failed to comply, further compounding the harm caused.
The Fallout
Hundeyin’s accusations stirred widespread controversy, especially on social media. His claims and the subsequent legal battle highlighted the challenges of navigating reputational damage in the digital age. For Northcott, the court’s decision is a step toward restoring his reputation.
However, Hundeyin was absent from court during the proceedings and was unrepresented. The judgment against him underscores the legal consequences of publishing defamatory content and refusing to retract it when proven false.
By October 8, 2024, when the judgment was passed, the court had ordered damages to Northcott and mandated the removal of the offensive content.
In conclusion, the case sheds light on the importance of ethical journalism and accountability in the digital era. It also demonstrates how defamatory content, amplified through social media, can have far-reaching consequences. For Hundeyin, this judgment serves as a cautionary tale on the legal and financial repercussions of libel.
