ABBA BELLO MOHAMMED, JCA (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This appeal is against the appellate judgment of the High Court of Niger State (the lower court), in Suit No. NSHC/MN/16CA/2014, delivered on the 12th of December, 2014, coram: Hon. Justice Aliyu M. Maiyaki and Hon. Justice Musa B. Abdul, wherein the lower court upheld the judgment of the trial Magistrate Court convicting the Appellant for the offence of defamation of character. Dissatisfied with the judgment of the lower court, the Appellant brought this appeal vide an initial Notice of Appeal filed on 25th March, 2022 which is at pages 379 – 382 of the Record of Appeal. This was amended vide Amended Notice of Appeal filed on 22nd February, 2023 which was deemed properly filed and served on the 11th of January, 2024. The Record of Appeal was transmitted to this Court on the 5th of April, 2022.
The Appellant was tried and convicted by the Chief Magistrate Court II, Minna, Niger State for the offence of defamation of character …