Widow jailed for brutalising househelp

A 36-year-old widow Mrs Opeyemi Omoyemi has been sentenced to 54-month-old imprisonment for brutalising and inflicting bodily injuries on her house help, Joel Sunday.

Joel was found bleeding profusely by an activist after he was beaten for allegedly stealing meat from a pot of soup.

Stick and razorblade were used to inflict multiple injuries on his body by Omoyemi.

The mother of four was arraigned last week before an Akure Magistrate Court on a five-count charge of attempted murder, child abuse, violence against persons prohibition among others.

Omoyemi was said to have committed the offence on February 6, 2022 at her residence at Idimango Adewale axis of Ondo road, Akure, the state capital

She pleaded guilty to four of the five count charges except count three which bothered on human trafficking.

The convict was sentenced to three and half years imprisonment with hard labour on count one charge bothering on grievous harm, while she bagged one year imprisonment on count five.

During trial, the Prosecution Counsel, ASP Emmanuel Tanimowo, applied for the withdrawal of count four, which was granted by the Magistrate, Mrs O.A Edwin.

Before judgement was delivered, Defense Counsel, Folusho Kayode, urged the court to be lenient as according to him, she was a first time offender.

He said: “The court should be lenient in passing sentence on the defendant. The prayer for leniency is that the defendant has been the one solely responsible for the wellbeing and education of the 12-year-old Sunday. She has been doing this dutifully for the past four years since the death of her husband.

“The defendant has kids and they have been crying since the incident happened as they could not see their mother.

“The defendant is a first offender and has never been arrested for any inhuman behavior. The court should graciously pass the sentence.”

In her ruling, Magistrate Edwin said: “I know that the defendant is a first time offender but the facts of the offences are not only an abuse on the victim but an offence against public policy.

“The sentence must therefore want to deter others and also ensure that justice is done to the victim.”

The case was adjourned to April 13, 2022 for trial in count three.

Catherine Ogunjebi, who spoke on behalf of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ondo State chapter, said justice has been served to the victim and for the society. We are also grateful for the time that the defendant did not waste.

She pleaded guilty and it was faster for us to have arrived at this conclusion.

“We are equally impressed because it is not a long sentence. She will be reunited with her children in due course as we know she also has children who are now in the custody of Women Affairs at the Children Home for proper care

“It is wrong for her to have had two children, 12 years and 10 years in her custody for the purpose of domestic help. This is against the Child Right Law of Ondo State and Child Right Act 2003 of Nigeria,” she stated.