Woman Arraigned For Calling Her Neighbor A Prostitute

The police on Friday arraigned a 38-year-old Nneka King of Tudun Wada Village, Abuja, before an Abuja Magistrates' Court for allegedly insulting and hurting her neighbour.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Elijah, told the court that one Miss Grace Ogbo, of the same address, complained against the accused at the Lugbe Police Station on April 1.

Elijah told the court that the complainant reported that the accused intentionally and without any provocation, rained insults on her, calling her a prostitute.

The prosecutor explained that the complainant ignored King and continued selling kerosene to her customers.

"No sooner had the complainant bent down to sale kerosene to her customers than the accused attacked her with a bottle, stabbing her severally. The complainant sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Abuja Unity Hospital, Lugbe, for treatment."

Elijah said that in the course of the attack the complainant also lost her purse which contained N670,500 and a Nokia cellphone worth N10,000.

He said that during police investigation, the accused could not give satisfactory account of action.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of section 399 and 246 of the Penal Code.

Section 399 states that '"whosoever uses abusive language concerning, or otherwise conducts himself towards, any person or group of persons, whether such person or any member of such class or group is present or not;

"In a manner likely to give such provocation to any person present as to cause such last mentioned person to break the public peace shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both."

Section 246 states that "whoever voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with a fine which may extend to N40.00 or with both."

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Mr Celestine Obinna, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 and a surety in like sum.

Obinna said the surety must be of a fixed address and resides within the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the case to April 9, for hearing. (NAN)