A
pregnant housewife, Juliet Ozoarinze, has been arrested for allegedly torturing
a 10-year-old girl, Blessing, in Ijesha, Surulere, Lagos State.
The
mother of four was also accused of assaulting the victim since she started
living with the (Juliet’s) family in July 2017.
She
was alleged to have used different objects on her over allegations of being
tardy in running errands, not being prompt in answering summons and practising
witchcraft.
The
suspect’s husband, Kenneth, was reported to have returned Blessing to her aunt,
Vivian, on Tuesday, October 17, after the wife allegedly used a knife to cut
the 10-year-old in the hand for allegedly stealing and eating the food meant
for her children.
Vivian,
who gave the couple the child because Kenneth was a family friend, told Punch
correspondent that Kenneth said he was returning the child because of the
injury.
She
said after she could not raise money for Blessing’s treatment, her neighbours
advised her to approach a human rights organisation.
She
explained that after several attempts to convince Kenneth to foot Blessing’s
medical bill failed, she reported the case at the Lagos State Office of the
Public Defender.
An
official of the agency told Punch that when Blessing was
brought to the office, she could not sit due to the extent of her injuries.
Punch learnt that the OPD reported
the case to the police at the Itire division, and the suspect was arrested.
When
queried on what the victim did, the suspect allegedly claimed that Blessing
stole her children’s provisions and food. She reportedly denied beating her
with objects.
The
Director of OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, confirmed the incident.
The
suspect had been arraigned in a magistrate’s court for the offence.
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