….Ondo widow bags 42-month imprisonment for brutalising househelp
The magistrate court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Monday, sentenced a woman, Omoyeni Opeyemi, to three and half years imprisonment for brutalising a 12-year -old boy, Joel Sunday, who was her housemaid.
The convict was arrested by the men of the state police command after she used sticks and razor blades to inflict multiple injuries on the body of the victim at Adebowale area of Akure.
A viral video also showed the 12-year-old boy crying with marks on his body which indicated that his body was lacerated with a razor blade while blood was on his body.
The 36-year-old widow was arraigned before the court on a five-count bothering on attempted murder, child abuse, violence against person prohibition among others.
The Magistrate, Mrs. O.A Edwin said the defendant was guilty of counts one, four and five. She, however, struck out count four.
In a reaction to the judgement the FiDA chairperson in ondo state, Catherine Ogunjebi described the judgement as a good development to curtail gender based violence in ondo state .
Barrister Ogunjebi said that the children of the convict are already in care of the ondo state ministry of women affairs for adequate care.
Also the counsel to the convict, Foluso Kayode said the judgement would be appealed against.
REACTIONS TRAIL JUDGMENT
Similarly, Nigeria Association of women Journalists, NAWOJ, Ondo state chapter in solidarity in the court descibed the judgement as a welcome development for the justice system
The association Association commends the judgement in the case of the brutalised 12 year old boy, Joel Sunday for quick dispensation of justice.
In a statement by the chairperson of the association, Mrs Doris Olumoko said the quick dispensation of justice would serve as deterrent to others who may want to brutalise children or constitute nuisance in the society.
The statement adds that women journalists in ondo state would continue to champion the course of children against abuses and maltreatment in the state.
In a related development, Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu has hailed the judgement of Magistrate court for granting justice in the case of the 12 year old boy Joel Sunday by his guardian for brutalising him with Razor blade .
Addressing stakeholders against the prohibition of Gender based violence and the media at the government house, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu said the judgement would send strong signal to curtail the abuse on children in the state .
The wife of the governor said that child traffickers would not be spared in the justice administration with the current passage of the VAPP ACT in the state By the administration to speak totally against abuse of children rights.
The governor wife said that all the children involved in the case are currently receiving adequate care in the government home and urging the citizenry to support in their own way towards giving a better life to the children.
