An Anambra State High Court sitting at Ogidi, Idemili North LGA of the state has struck out a defamation suit filed against an Anambra -based journalist, Mrs. Kasie Abone by her brother in-law, Rev Emeka Abone.
Rev Abone, who is the Vice Chairman of The Sun Newspapers, had dragged Kasie to the High Court in 2019 over alleged defamation. However, on 25th January 2021, the matter was struck out, only for it to be relisted by the same plaintiff (Rev, Abone) on February 16, 2023.
When the case in suit no. HID/261/2019 came up before Justice Chukwudi Nwankwo of High Court 2 Ogidi on October 10th, 2023, it was dismissed and the plaintiff ordered to pay a cost of ₦100,000 to Kasie Abone before any other step could be taken on the matter.
Emeka Abone, a former Managing Director of Slok Group, owned by Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, had alleged that Kasie defamed his character at different fora, including a petition she filed against him before their village elders.
Kasie, wife of Mr Okechukwu Abone, an elder brother to Emeka Abone, had in a petition to the Nnokwa Elders Council, alleged that Emeka and others had, at different occasions, accused her of using charms to hypnotize her husband into contracting a marriage relationship with her.
She was also accused of burying charm at Obi Abone to tie 32 demons operating there, which he claimed, enabled her to sleep at Obi Abone alone without fear, even when the said demons pursued Rev. Abone and his siblings out of the compound.
He further alleged that Kasie was making charm to kill her husband’s mistress and her son.
It was gathered that following alleged constant harassment, intimidation, threats and other false allegations against Kasie, she was compelled to petition the Elders Council in Nnokwa, which is a body responsible for adjudicating over matters relating to allegations of diabolism in the town to clear her name and prove her innocence.
But rather than honour the Elders Council invitation to prove his allegations, Emeka Abone instituted the now struck out case against Kasie at Ogidi High Court.
In her statement of defence filed through her counsel F. Chijioke Okoli (SAN) and Chukwuemeka Ozoalor of Delphi Law Advisory of Ezeoguine Chambers, Kasie stated that the reason she petitioned against Emeka Abone and his siblings was because it is believed and according to the customs and traditions of Nnokwa, anyone who tells a lie before the Elders Council holding at Obi Nnokwa will die or suffer severe consequences.
Kasie admitted that she made some of the statements she was accused of ‘in good faith’, insisting that they are true.
She stated that she made the statements in defence of years of continuous false allegations, insults to her person and her family, harassment and unwarranted attack against her by Emeka Abone and his siblings since she got married their brother, which they are not comfortable with because they saw her as an obstacle to dispossessing their elder brother of his birthright.
