A 29-year-old woman, Mrs Namonday John, was on Thursday arraigned in an Upper Area Court in Pankshin, Plateau, over an allegation of criminal defamation of character.

John, a businesswoman and resident of Nerot in Pankshin, was docked on a one-count-charge of criminal defamation of character, contrary to Section 372 of the Plateau Penal Code Law 2017.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that one Mrs Lapdang Dakup, the complainant, filed the report on June 18, alleging that the defendant had been harassing her for the past three years, calling her a witch and a prostitute everywhere she met her.

Dakup said all efforts to stop the defendant from the verbal assault failed and that even her children were also being subjected to ridicule by John.

“I met people close to her on several occasions to advise her to leave my family alone, but it failed, I met her father on the issue, but she insulted me instead. I therefore ask this honourable court to compel the defendant to provide evidence of my witchcraft and the alleged fathers of my children,” she said.

The complainant acknowledged that though the defendant’s family had pleaded with her to settle out of court, she still continued to harass her.

NAN reports that the judge, Augustine Dung, had on June 24, granted bail to the defendant to the sum of N200,000 with a surety in like sum after her no guilty plea.

Dung adjourned the case to July 15, to get the outcome of the out-of-court settlement.

(NAN)