Bill Cosby's wife Camille loses quest to get out of deposition in defamation case

                                     BRYAN BEDDER/GETTY IMAGES

Camille Cosby has stood by her husband as more than 50 women have stepped forward with various claims of sexual assault.

Camille Cosby has lost her bid for "complete avoidance" of a deposition demanded by seven of her husband's accusers.

The federal judge hearing her appeal in Massachusetts issued a ruling Thursday that rejected her claim she's off limits and ordered the 71-year-old spouse to sit for the grilling.

The judge further declined her request for a formal protective order limiting the scope of questioning in the pending defamation case.

But it wasn't all bad news for Bill Cosby's wife of more than five decades. U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni did open the door for Camille to refuse to answer some inquiries related to her private conversations with Cosby.

He said U.S. Magistrate Judge David Hennessy erred last December when he ruled that the Massachusetts marital disqualification rule only offered protection for Camille during trial testimony, not pre-trial discovery.

In fact, the rule "does apply to deposition testimony," so Camille could object to some questions on that basis, Judge Mastroianni said.

Camille's original deposition was set for Jan. 6, but the court postponed it pending the outcome of her appeal.

Camille stepped up her legal battle shortly after Cosby was charged with felony aggravated indecent assault in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30.

She filed paperwork expressing her concern she would be probed on the topic of her husband's sexual "proclivities."

"Mrs. Cosby's knowledge of her husband's 'proclivities' are not just irrelevant, they are precisely the type of intimate information that both Massachusetts and federal law protects," her paperwork argued.

The civil lawsuit at issue was brought by accuser Tamara Green in December 2014 and now includes plaintiffs Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis and Angela Leslie.

The women claim Cosby sexually assaulted them decades ago and then defamed them more recently by calling them liars after they spoke out about his alleged abuse.

Cosby, 78, has counter-sued in the case, claiming the women are trying to "assassinate" his "honorable legacy."

Camille has stood by her husband as more than 50 women have stepped forward with various claims of sexual assault.

"The man I met and fell in love with, and whom I continue to love, is the man you all knew through his work," she said in a 2014 statement that accused reporters of not properly vetting the accusers.

"He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He is the man you thought you knew," she said of Cosby.

Lawyer Gloria Allred now represents 29 Cosby accusers and was in court in Los Angeles last week when a judge ordered Cosby to sit for a second deposition in a civil lawsuit brought by her client Judy Huth.

Huth, 57, sued Cosby in December 2014 claiming he lured her to the Playboy mansion in 1974 and sexually assaulted her when she was only 15 years old.

Allred was in Colorado on Thursday with two other accusers — Beth Ferrier and Heidi Thomas — for an event supporting proposed state legislation that would eliminate the statute of limitations on felony sexual assault.

Colorado currently has a 10-year statute of limitations on adult cases that don't involve DNA evidence.

"The courthouse door should never be slammed shut to prevent rape and sexual assault victims from seeking justice because of an arbitrary time period called the statute of limitations," Allred said.

Sixteen states including Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota and West Virginia do not have a statue of limitations on felony sexual assault cases.

A rep for Cosby praised the ruling Thursday, calling it a “critically important decision by the Court today, agreeing with Mrs. Cosby's appellate argument, affirming the confidential nature of and protection afforded to marital communications.”

With dailynews

Health Minister Allays Zika Virus Fears In Nigeria

The Minister of Health has been giving an update on the outbreak of Lassa fever in different parts of the country, saying the disease has so far affected 20 states of the federation, according to Channel News.

Professor Isaac Adewole addressed a press conference in the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Thursday.

“You will all recall that on the 8th of January 2016, I briefed the nation on the current outbreak of Lassa fever that started in December 2015 and which has now affected 20 states of the federation.

“As of today, Nigeria has recorded 176 cases with 108 deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 61.4%.

“It is important that I inform the nation that this current outbreak is under control as evident by decline in new suspected cases, new laboratory confirmed cases and newly reported cases by week.

“Despite this achievement however, you will all agree with me that it will be too dangerous for us as a nation to go complacent at this stage,” he said.

The Minister also dismissed fears about the possible outbreak of Zika virus in Nigeria, saying there is no need to worry.

“Although two African countries have reported Zika infection in the recent outbreak and in the past many others, causal relationship between Zika virus infection, birth defect and neurological syndromes have not been established in this continent.

“Nigerian scientist working in Western Nigeria in 1954 discovered Zika Virus in Nigeria. Further studies in the years 1975 to 1979 show that 40% of Nigerian adults and 25% of Nigerian children have antibodies to Zika Virus, meaning they are protected against this virus.”

Germany Signals Interest in Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas

Dr. Ibe Kachikwu with the Vice Minister for Economic Affairs & Energy, Mr. Uwe Beckmeyer

Nigeria’s quest to expand its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market into Europe received a major boost on Thursday as a visiting German trade delegation indicated the country’s burgeoning desire for Nigeria’s gas supply.

 

Leading a large contingent of German business concerns on a visit to the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu at the NNPC Towers, Vice Minister for Economic Affairs & Energy and Member of the German Parliament, Mr. Uwe Beckmeyer, said the country was seeking development of business relationship to accelerate the supply of LNG especially in the country’s ship building industry.

 

According to Mr. Beckmeyer, Nigeria’s LNG would come in handy as the country and other European industrial powers seek to cut down drastically on Carbon dioxide (C02) emissions arising from heavy industrial operations since LNG is far friendlier to the environment.

 

“We have a lot of interest in LNG and I think this is one special thing we should develop in the next few years. I think there is increasing demand in Europe especially as we seek to reduce emissions. It is useful for both sides to develop this special business relationship,’’ the German Vice-Minister stated.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Kachikwu said that the oil and gas industry was ready to embrace the interest for improved business relationship expressed by the German trade delegation noting that the Federal Government is working assiduously with other relevant stakeholders to ensure activation of LNG Trains 7 which would help accommodate potential off-takers from new markets.

 

Meanwhile State Governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum have expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

 

Speaking on behalf of the forum, Zamfara State Governor and Chairman of the NGF, Mallam Abdulaziz Yari, who led a team of governors to the NNPC Towers on Thursday, expressed confidence in the ability of Dr. Kachikwu to lead the NNPC and the oil and gas industry to the desired levels.

 

Expressing delight in the ongoing reforms in the NNPC, Mallam Yari stated that the visit of the governors to the NNPC Towers was indicative of the level of confidence the NGF has in Dr. Kachikwu.

 

“What we are seeing is not NNPC of yesterday, you can see for yourself the change we are talking about. In the last eight years you have not seen a group of governors coming to NNPC to find out what is going on as critical stakeholders. So you can see the change we are talking about,’’ he said.

On the ongoing plans by the Corporation to build new mega fuel station in every senatorial district across the country, the NGF Chairman pledged the readiness of members to support the NNPC Retail expansion drive in their respective states.

 

“We are happy with his performance, in fact when he made a presentation to the forum earlier, we told him we are going to support him as a forum and also take him to Mr. President to campaign for him to be given any support he needs to succeed,’’ he said.

Workers ground Imo, Okorocha recalls sacked civil servants

                                                            Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha

Imo State workers and the national leadership of the organised labour on Wednesday started a three-day warning strike to protest against the concession of 19 parastatals by the Governor Rochas Okorocha-led administration, according to The PUNCH.

The workers described as obnoxious and crude, the government concession policy, which led to the dismissal of over 3,000 state workers.

While public schools, banks, government institutions, local council secretariats, filling stations, and supermarkets, among others were completely shut, the Owerri Main Market and its adjoining commercial areas witnessed low patronage.

When our correspondent visited some parts of the state, heavily-armed policemen were seen manning some strategic points.

The workers had around 8am converged on the Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat on Edede Street, Owerri, where they were jointly briefed by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

After the briefing, they commenced a peaceful march to the Orlu Road Roundabout.

The workers vowed not to succumb to government harassment, coercion or intimidation to shelve their planned strike over the concession policy.

The state Chairman of the NLC, Austin Chilakpu, had said the protesting workers would commence an indefinite strike if the government failed to meet their demand to rescind the controversial concession policy and recall the sacked workers.

The workers wore black clothes and chanted solidarity songs, while displaying placards bearing inscriptions, some which read, “Okorocha, you are wicked,” “Rochas revert your policies, it is anti-workers” and “We cannot fear your antics again,” among others.

They eventually stormed the Government House despite the heavy presence of security men, where they were addressed by Okorocha.

The governor said the ‘suspension’ of parastatals workers was for the overall interest of the state.

He noted that his government which started in 2011 never owed workers, adding that it was only in Imo State that N20,000 minimum wage was paid to workers.

Also addressing journalists, the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, noted that the fate the APC was suffering today was borne out of the recklessness of the past administration led by the Peoples Democratic Party.

He said that there was a colossal drop in the national income following the drop in oil price.

It was later learnt that Okorocha ordered the recall of the sacked workers.

FG To Introduce Procurement Guidelines

The Federal Ministry of Finance has announced plans to introduce price guidelines for procurement purposes by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Having reviewed the overhead expenditure data of the MDAs from 2012 to 2014, the unit found that cumulative expenditure on items purchased was 825 billion Naira, Channel News reported.

According to the head of the unit, Mrs Patience Oniha, the figure represents 61% of the cumulative total overhead expenditure of 1.35 billion Naira for the period.

In order to cut costs on recurrent expenditure, Mrs Oniha said that the efficiency unit of the Ministry would introduce ministerial debit cards to the MDAs to monitor procurement and expenses.