A Lagos High Court has awarded N5million damages against singer Oxlade over a leaked sex tape with a woman on Snapchat.
The sex tape surfaced online in February 2022 without the knowledge and consent of the woman involved in the video.
It sparked public outrage, forcing Oxlade to issue an apology to his fans and the woman in the video.
In a judgement dated January 24, 2023, Justice Olalekan Oresanya described the action of the singer in secretly recording and releasing the tape online as “despicable, horrendous, distasteful and classless.”
The affected woman, John Blessing had filed a suit before the court on March 15, 2022, seeking N20million damages and a declaration that Oxlade’s act of recording the explicit sexual acts without her knowledge and consent amounted to flagrant contravention of enabling laws and a gross violation of her fundamental rights to dignity, privacy and freedom from discrimination guaranteed under Sections 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended); and Articles 5 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement), Act, CAP A9, LFN, 2004.
After hearing counsel for the claimant, E. T. Idemudia and O. S. Mabekoje with U. R. Michael for the respondent, the judge had set for judgment when parties agreed to opt for amicable resolution via a consent judgement.
However, Justice Oresanya cautioned Oxlade against such acts in his relationship with the opposite sex going forward.
The judge also faulted Oxlade for treating the judicial process with disrespect and accused his lawyer of aiding him to desecrate the court.
By the consent judgement, Oxlade is to pay damages to the tune of N5million to the claimant in two instalments of N2million and N3million respectively.
The judgement forecloses her perpetually from initiating any further legal process or any process in respect of the facts and matters giving rise to the suit, and from instituting or discussing the issues constituted in the claim on any platform, and before any third party.
