Recently in Ondo state, a middle-aged woman was arrested for inflicting multiple injuries on her house help amidst other cases reported across the country. BARNABAS OLABISI reports on this and other recent cases.
The rate at which domestic violence are on the increase across the country causes sleepless nights for parents, guardians, groups and society such that there are calls for urgent action on the part of government.
As a result of this, there are calls for such to be reported to appropriate quarters early enough for action to be taken before it gets out of hand.
One recent occurrence
A recent case of child abuse by a mother of four, Mrs Opeyemi Omoyemi, who has been arraigned in court for inflicting multiple body injuries on her 12-year-old house help, Joel Sunday, in Akure, the Ondo state capital is a case in point.
Omoyemi, a widow was docked before a Magistrate Court sitting in the Ondo state capital on five-count charge bothering on attempted murder, child abuse, violence against persons prohibition, among others.
She was said to have used stick and razor blade to inflict multiple injuries on the body of the house help whom she accused of stealing pieces of meat from the pot.
Police Prosecutor, Emmanuel Tanimowo, said the defendant committed the offence on February 6, 2022 at her residence located at Idimango Adewale axis of Akure.
Tanimowo informed the court that the crime was reported to the police by one Mrs Alice Ayedun, a community health officer after she saw the boy writhing in pains with blood flowing from various parts of his body.
“Mrs Ayedun Alice was going to the church when she saw one Sunday Joel crying with pool of blood on his body and the woman was forced to branch to see what was happening. She saw the defendant beating up the boy at the back of the house and had to rescue the boy from the woman. The defendant had asked the boy to wash the blood off his body after she used razor blade to lacerated his body.
“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 hospital for treatment.”
The woman, according to information, later took the boy to Fanibi Police Station to report the matter, leading to arrest of the defendant.
At the police station, she confessed to the crime as she explained that the boy had packed all the meats in her pot of soup.
In her defence, she said immediately the boy saw her, he tried to run away but she held and took him to the sitting room where she used the razor blade to lacerated the boy’s body.
According to the prosecutor, “The boy was later taken to the police clinic and currently undergoing treatment but is still in a critical condition.”
Omoyemi pleaded guilty to three of the charges and not guilty to the count three charge.
Interested parties
However, Catherine Ogunjebi who held brief for International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) urged the court to remand the defendant in 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.
After listening to the prayers of the counsels, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.A Edwin adjourned the matter till another date.
Edwin also ordered that the children of the defendant should be taken to children home for custody.
Speaking after the court proceeding, the executive secretary, Agency Against Gender Based Violence, Bola Joel said the case would be monitored to the letter in order to serve as deterrent to others.
Joel said, “This is a wilful child abuse and domestic violence. 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 would send a strong signal to the public that you are not supposed to abuse or assault any child put under your care.”
She added that, “We would continue to monitor cases like this to ensure that all our children are safe anywhere they are and free from any form of domestic violence.”
Ondo gov’s wife speaks
Also, wife of Ondo state governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has described the incident as barbaric.
Mrs Akeredolu stated this in a statement through the special assistant to the governor on new media & archives, Mr Debo Akinbami.
She described one other incident in which one Mr Ojo Oluwaseun reportedly poured boiled water on his wife, Iyanu as bestial and intolerable.
Mrs Anyawu-Akeredolu advised women to be wary of abusive tendencies in spouses, while advising that victims should speak up and possibly quit such harmful relationships instead of enduring and consequently dying.
She also condemned the spate of spousal violence in the country especially the unfortunate demise of the popular gospel artiste, Osinachi Nwachukwu through physical abused by her spouse.
Mrs Akeredolu who said she would not allow the Owo case to be swept under the carpet hinted that Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence is already involved in handling the case, assuring that justice would be served.
Osinachi as case study
While that was being condemned, another shocking sudden death of a popular Nigerian gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, came up.
Osinachi was pronounced dead recently in an undisclosed hospital in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Earlier reports claimed that she died of cancer, but the social media has been flooded with different versions of how the singer suffered domestic violence with her husband as the prime suspect in her death.
A source close to the deceased’s family confirmed that Osinachi was a victim of domestic violence, describing her marriage as hell on earth.
According to source, “It is painful that despite my advice, this good woman who is obviously a gift to the world, chose to die in that marriage. Everyone that knows her is aware that she has been going through deep pains.
“Behind that smile you always see on the altar when she is ministering and in her videos, were deep sorrows due to this marriage. As a music minister, she was scared of what the world would say and she kept trusting God until her death.
“I told her to leave this marriage but she believed all would be well. The husband never supported her music career; she strove and with the help of God and her pastor, she became known everywhere. This should serve as a warning signal to all other women going through hell, but refused to open up.”
She revealed that Osinachi, whose worship music had impacted lives across the continent and beyond, died on a live support after the last fight with her husband.
“The husband is nothing but a beast. He kept abusing this woman every time. When you don’t see her (Osinachi) in church, just know that something must have gone wrong. The last beating was a kick on her chest which landed her in the hospital. She was on life support for five days before she finally died,” she revealed.
However, following outrages on the social media, the deceased’s husband, Peter Nwachukwu has been arrested by the FCT police command.
She called for justice for the deceased, saying all Nigerian women should team up and ensure that the singer gets justice.
According to her, the suspect should be made to face the full wrath of the law, while calling on the federal government to quickly and without hesitation move to tackle domestic violence, which according to her, is becoming a trend in the country.
Information revealed that “The man, Peter Nwachukwu is currently in police custody. A family member of the deceased lodged a report for culpable homicide at Lugbe police station.
According to the police, “Following the complaint, we arrested the suspect and the investigation is currently ongoing. We will make findings public.”
With series of similar incidents across the length and breadth of the country, the scenario has called for concern amongst all strata of the society, calling on the government at all levels to rise to the occasion.
Concerns
Dr Peace Opemiposi, a social critic and physchologist informs that majority of domestic violence can be traced to dwindling in the economy, class and a bit physchological trauma affecting some of the victims.
She noted that stern steps by the government would go a long way to caution majority of the culprits.
Also, High Chief (Mrs) Omowunmi Victoria noted that high percentage of victims of domestic violence are women and children. She noted that government should not fold arms and make cautionary steps in this regard.
