Police arrest housewife for throwing out sister’s daughter

The police have arrested a 46-year-old woman, Mercy Akinsode, for allegedly throwing out her late sister’s daughter, Damilola.

According to Punch, Damilola, an indigene of Ekiti State, was brought to Lagos some years ago after her mother died. The nine-year-old, who reportedly did not know her father till her mother died, was said to have been living with Mercy at their home on Bajulaiye Road, Somolu.

Punch learnt that last Friday, the victim was brought home from school by the family’s nanny, one Esther.

Esther was said to have bought some pieces of meat from the market and asked Damilola to prepare them.

It was alleged that, while cooking it, the victim ate a piece and was reported by Esther to her aunt. The angry aunt allegedly threw Damilola out of the house.

Damilola was said to have been sighted wandering around in a market by a Good Samaritan, who took her to the Alade Police Station.

Policemen from the division were said to have arrested Mercy.

In her statement to the police, Damilola denied eating from the meat.

She said, “While I was cooking the meat, I brought out the leftovers of my lunch and was eating it when aunty Esther accused me of eating a piece of meat. She reported me to mummy, who threw me out in anger and said I should go and live anywhere.”

Mercy, in her statement, also denied sending out her niece from the house.

She said she got a call in the evening from Esther that Damilola was missing and she immediately alerted family members to look for her.

She said it was later she was told that the victim had stolen something, which was why she ran away from the house.

Mercy was, however, arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court on one count of child abuse.

The charge read, “That you, Akinyode Mercy, on June 5, 2015, at about 8pm on Bajulaiye Road, Somolu, in the Lagos Magisterial District, being a custodian of Damilola Akinsode, aged nine years, did unlawfully send her away from home to an unknown destination and thereby abandoning or exposing her to likely grievous harm.”

The police prosecutor, DSP Godwin Anyanwu, said the offence was punishable under Section 247 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Soladoye, admitted her to bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum. The matter was adjourned till July 6, 2015.