Opposition Leader challenging judge’s decision to strike out his defence in alleged "rapist ministers case"

​Opposition Leader, Lennox Linton, says he does not believe it is just for a judge to have decided a case without hearing evidence from the claimants or the defendant. His comments come following a decision of High Court Judge, Bernie Stephenson, to strike out his defence in the alleged "rapist ministers case" brought before the courts in 2014, by some 18 Government ministers.
 
18 Government Ministers are suing the Opposition Leader for $1M for defamation following comments made by him at a UWP Rally in May 2014, in which he alleged activities of Government ministers as rape.
 
Speaking on Q95's Hot Seat Friday, Linton said he will not back down, as his statements were made in context of certain factual circumstances, which were reported and outlined in his defence."Let us hear if a higher court will have a similar view and rule similarly" he said.

​In his statement during the 2014 rally, Linton allegedly said, “There can be no honor in a Government that harbors rapist ministers, and upholds extortion of sexual services from young people seeking the facilitation of ministers, to get personal development assistance from the public purse.”
 
Justice Stephenson in her 50-page judgment said, “I have given careful consideration to the written and oral submissions made by the parties in this matter and I have made a finding that effectively disposes of this application.”She further stated that having examined the evidence, “there was no allegation that the ministers of Government had raped anybody.”
 
“The words uttered by the first named defendant (Linton) and rebroadcast by the second named defendant (Q-FM) are seriously defamatory to the claimants…for these reasons, I shall strike out the defence filed by the defendants herein as unsustainable without merit, and an abuse of the court’s process”, the Judge said.