A house wife and her 18 year old son have been convicted by the Yola Criminal Area Court II in Adamawa state for falsely accusing their neighbour of being a wizard.
The 2 convicts, Zuwaira Sale, 38 and Garba Sale,18, as well as the complainant, Rukaiya Mohammed, 42 are residence of Saminaka, a suburb of Jimeta/Yola, Adamawa state.
Trouble started when Zuwaira Sale lost her daughter, Hussaina Sale, and the complainant went to commiserate with them during which the convicts in separate outburst accused her for being a witch that killed their daughter.
Instead of acknowledging the words of sympathy, the convicts asked the complainant to leave their residence immediately with Garba (the convict) threatening to beat her for causing the untimely death of his sister.
Irked by the embarrassment, the complainant decided to seek legal redress at Justice Nuhu Musa Garta led Criminal Area Court II on grounds of defamation of character, so as to save her face from stigmatisation.
To prove her case, the complainant assembled 3 witnesses who confirmed to the Honourable Court that the convicts actually accused her of being a witch that snuffed life out of their daughter.
Delivering its judgement on the matter after listening to both sides Yesterday the Criminal Area Court presided by Honourable Nuhu Musa Garta, sentenced Zuwaira Sale to 3 weeks imprisonment with an option of #7000 fine.
Likewise, Honourable Garta sent Garba Sale to one month in prison with an option of 10,000 fine, and further ordered the convicts to pay the sum of #10,000 as compensation to the complainant.
The presiding judge declared that both parties have right or at liberty to appeal the judgment within 30 days if not satisfied with the court's verdict.
According to him, the court was lenient to the convicts in its judgement considering their condition of living and urged them to maintain peace and shunned careless statements.
He added that the essence of the punishment is to serve as deterrent to others.
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