Ester Esabod Aboderin defamation case adjourned after Four Courts fracas

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A High Court defamation action against Ester Esabod Aboderin was adjourned to October after a fracas at the Four Courts on 31 July 2019. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds kept temporary orders in place.

The action was brought by Rosala Uvbi Mku-Atu, who claimed she had been defamed and threatened in social media posts by Aboderin.

The fracas involved up to 20 people and broke out in the area outside the Supreme Court, within the Four Courts complex. Gardaí and security staff intervened.

Rory Kennedy, for Aboderin, told the judge that she had been seriously assaulted by unknown parties and suffered cuts and bruises to her face and body. He said a complaint had been made to gardaí. The judge noted that gardaí were investigating the incident.

Patrick O’Brien, for Uvbi Mku-Atu, said his client had no knowledge of the people involved and did not condone what had occurred.

The previous week, Uvbi Mku-Atu had secured a temporary order requiring Aboderin to remove allegedly threatening and defamatory social media comments. The judge also made orders under section 33 of the 2009 Defamation Act prohibiting reporting of the allegedly defamatory comments.

The judge was told that Aboderin had removed the comments complained of from social media under her control. The court heard there were concerns about posts on platforms outside her control, but steps were being taken to address them.