CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A woman, Mrs. Ifeoma Onuoha, has been arrested in Lagos State for exhibiting cruelty on her 12-year old house maid, Miss Chizaram Chinegbo, by smashing her head with a pestle.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Samuel Awoniyi Street, Ikeja area of Lagos, where they reside.
Apart from inflicting serious injury on her almost on daily basis, Mrs. Ifeoma was said to have deprived her from going to school and enslaved her as housemaid with the attendant torture before the neighbours exposed her.
The alleged maltreatment was reported to the Police at Ikeja Division and the girl was rescued by the Police while the woman, Ifeoma, was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over her conduct on the maid.
During interrogation, it was discovered that Ifeoma brought the victim as housemaid, was torturing her and deprived the girl education since she started living with her.
The Police found her culpable and subsequently charged her before the Ogba Magistrates Court for child abuse and assault.
She pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, told the Court to give a short adjournment since she pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that Ifeoma actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunssanmi, granted her bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
The matter was adjourned till 18th August, 2022, for mention while the defendant, Ifeoma, was remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when she will perfect her bail conditions.
Meanwhile, the maid was rescued and kept in a rehabilitation centre for treatment and will be handed over to her parents, who were said to have been contacted by the Police.