Businessman drags neighbour to court for defamation over adultery rumours

A businessman, Sani Hassan on Wednesday dragged one Maimuna Ishaq to a Shari’a court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna state for allegedly calling him an adulterer.

The complainant told the court that he heard Ishaq telling people that he was caught sleeping with a married woman in his chemist.

"This is defamation on my character and my reputation has been tarnished in the community, I want this honourable court to grant justice on this matter “, he prayed.

On her part, the defendant denied the allegation saying she never spread rumours calling Hassan an adulterer. She told the court that she and some community elders had gone to meet the complainant’s father to seek forgiveness to resolve the issue.

She explained that she had admitted to being wrong in the elders' presence so that peace would reign and the matter would not be brought to court. However, among the three witnesses the complainants presented in court, one Maryam told the court the defendant came to her house and told her that Hassan was caught committing adultery.

The other two who were males explained that they were part of the reconciliation committee that visited the complainant’s father to settle the matter. They all told the court that the defendant had denied spreading the rumour at first but later confirmed that she did it when asked for the second and third time.

The judge, Malam Isiyaku Abdulrahman adjourned the matter to February 1 for the continuation of hearing.