The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka, Anambra State, have arraigned three suspects, Lazarus Uzor, Anozie Uzor and Valentine Okwuosa, for allegedly using a masquerade to force a widow, Nneka Uzor, out of a community in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
Nneka, 53, a caterer and a mother of two, was banished from the community by her brother, Okwuosa, and other relatives over an allegation that she was a witch.
The video of her banishment went viral on social media.
According to The PUNCH, the suspects were arraigned on five counts on Monday following their arrest by the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, in collaboration with the state police command.
However, when the charges were read and interpreted to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Delivering on the bail application for the defendants, the Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, said the court would consider the bail application for the defendants since the offence was bailable.
The defendants were granted bail in the sum of N700,000 and must provide reliable sureties in the like sum.
