Court sentences woman to six months in prison for abusing minor in Imo
A Magistrate Court sitting in Imo State, has sentenced one Rose Okon to six months in prison for maltreating 14 year old niece in her care and inflicting multiple injuries on her.
The Court, presided over by C.J Nkwoada, added that in lieu of the six months prison term, the convict can pay N50, 000 as fine.
Mrs Okon pleaded guilty when arraigned by the Police in the state on a one count charge bordering on assault.
The charge sheet read, “that you Rose Okon, on the 19th of September at 1800 hrs at Umuneke, Ngor Okpala in the Ngor Okpala Magisterial district did assault one Favour Emmanuel, 14 years by pouring on her hot water on her head and body which caused her grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 355 of the criminal code Cap C38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State of Nigeria.”
The prosecuting counsel, Sampson Obodo, showed the court photographs of the injuries the convict inflicted on the minor, and tendered the statements made at the police by the convict and the victim and that of a human rights organization.
Before the judgement, the culprit asked the court to have mercy on her, through her Counsel, Innocent Onyekwere, who asked the Court to be lenient while pronouncing the judgement.
The culprit was arrested following a petition by a human rights organization, Stand For Humanity Foundation.
The president of the foundation, Chidiebube Okeoma, who led over 20 members of the Organization to the Court, told Journalists that the organization initiated the arrest of the woman to remind people that child abuse is a punishable offence in law.
He said that the conviction and sentencing of the woman would serve as a lesson to all abusers of children.
Okeoma added that his foundation would continue to clampdown on all abusers of children.
He recalled that the foundation had on several occasions organised awareness campaigns against child abuse, following series of reports of abuse received by his office daily.