Woman arraigned for inflicting injury on 12-year-old house help for stealing meat

Police in Ondo State have arrested and dragged a 36-year-old mother of four, Mrs Opeyemi Omoyemi, to court for inflicting a razor blade injury on the body of his 12-year-old house help, Joel Sunday, who allegedly stole meat from the cooking pot.

Omoyemi, a widow was arraigned before the Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital on a five-count charge bothering on attempted murder, child abuse, violence against person prohibition among others.

The defendant was said to have used a stick and razor blade to inflict multiple injuries on the body of the house help, accusing the young boy of stealing pieces of meat from the pot.

The Police Prosecutor, Emmanuel Tanimowo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on February 6, 2022, at her residence located at Idi mango Adewale axis of Ondo road, Akure, the state capital.

Tanimowo informed the court that the crime was reported to the police by one Mrs Alice Ayedun, a community health officer, who rushed the boy to the hospital after seeing the boy writhing in pain with blood oozing out from various parts of his body.

The prosecutor said “Mrs Ayedun Alice was going to the church when she saw one Sunday Joel crying, with a pool of blood on his body and the woman was forced to branch to see what was happening and she saw the defendant beating up the boy at the back of the house.

“She immediately rescued the boy from the woman. The defendant had asked the boy to wash the blood off his body after she used a razor blade to cut his body and made open injury.

“In order to rescue the boy from the woman, Ayedun told her that she is a nurse and that she is taking the boy to the hospital for treatment. The woman later took the boy to Fanibi police station and reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the defendant.

“At the police station, she confessed to the crime and that she observed that the boy had packed all the meats in her pot of soup. She said immediately the boy saw him he tried to run away but she held him. She later took her to the sitting room where she used the razor blade to cut the various part of the boy’s body.

“The boy was later taken to the police clinic and currently undergoing treatment but still in critical condition,” he said.

The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to three of the charges but pleaded not guilty to count three charges.

An official of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, (FIDA), Mrs Catherine Ogunjebi, who held a brief for the association called for the remand of the defendant in a correctional facility.

However, the Defence Counsel, Gbenga Allen, appealed to the Magistrate to temper justice with mercy as the defendant was a first time offender.

Following the prayers of the counsels, the Magistrate, Mrs O.A Edwin, adjourned for sentencing and trial till February 14, while ordering that the children of the defendant should be taken to the children home for custody.

Speaking after the court proceeding, the Executive Secretary, Agency against Gender-Based Violence, Bola Joel, said the case will be monitored to the latter in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

“This is a wilful child abuse. The boy was assaulted by a woman. If you see the boy, you will pity him. He’s presently at the hospital, groaning in pains, stitches all over his body. The perpetrator has pleaded guilty to the charges before the court. This will send a signal to the public that you are not supposed to abuse or assault any child put under your care.

“We will continue to monitor cases like this to ensure that all our children will be safe anywhere they are,” she said.

(Nigerian Tribune)