Woman allegedly burns 11-yr-old househelp with pressing iron, hot water

A 36-year-old woman, Ngwu Nkeiruka, is before an Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s court, Lagos, answering questions on why she assaulted her househelp, 11-year-old Chioma Samuel, with a pressing iron and hot water, as alleged by the Lagos police, who arraigned her.

Nkeiruka, who resides at No. 47a, Ogundana St., off Allen Ikeja, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of assault and assault occasioning harm.

The prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 5, 2018 at her residence in Lagos.

According to Emuerhi, the accused used a hot pressing iron to burn Samuel’s hands and legs, and also poured hot water on her, burning her skin.

He also told the court that some parents who noticed the wounds on the victim’s body when the accused took her and her own children to school drew her attention to the wounds.

“The parents asked the victim questions on how she sustained the wounds while they awaited the return of Nkeiruka, who had taken her kids to their respective classrooms.

“The women confronted the accused on her return and insisted that she should take the victim to a hospital for better treatment, otherwise they would petition the Commissioner of Police Lagos State.

“Nkeiruka refused to heed the women’s warning and returned to the school the following day with Samuel whose wounds remained untreated, hence the report,” the prosecutor said.

The accused, however, guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O. SuleAmzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must be property owners in Lagos with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State government.

Amzat adjourned the case until April 16, 2018 for further hearing. pleaded not