A nine-year-old housemaid, Precious Chinwedu, says she is
still having pains two weeks after her boss, Mrs. Ifeoma Mbakwe, poured hot
water on her for allegedly stealing crayfish.
The incident happened around 8pm on December 27 on Idowu Oya
Street, Agbado, Lagos State.
Street, Agbado, Lagos State.
The primary 3 pupil, who spoke with Punch Metro on Friday at
Rem-Yems, a private hospital in Agbado, where she was admitted, said the woman
had sent her to bring the crayfish in the kitchen.
Rem-Yems, a private hospital in Agbado, where she was admitted, said the woman
had sent her to bring the crayfish in the kitchen.
Not done, Mbakwe, the mother of a seven-month-old baby,
reportedly bit the girl in the back before pouring the hot water on her.
reportedly bit the girl in the back before pouring the hot water on her.
She said, “She (Mbakwe) said I should bring crayfish, but I
told her I did not see it. She said I ate it. She used something we used to
grind pepper to hit my head. She bit me in the back and poured hot water on
me.”
told her I did not see it. She said I ate it. She used something we used to
grind pepper to hit my head. She bit me in the back and poured hot water on
me.”
The girl, who hails from Orlu, Imo State, said, apart from
regular beating, the woman would not give her lunch, adding that she wanted to
go back to her parents.
regular beating, the woman would not give her lunch, adding that she wanted to
go back to her parents.
“She does not give me food regularly. There is no food for
me in the afternoon when I come back from the school. Sometimes, she would not
give me food in the evening. I was brought to Lagos in July. She always beat
me. I want to go back to my parents,” she said.
me in the afternoon when I come back from the school. Sometimes, she would not
give me food in the evening. I was brought to Lagos in July. She always beat
me. I want to go back to my parents,” she said.
A nurse at the hospital, who did not want her name in print,
said the clothes which Chinwedu wore when she was brought to the hospital was
removed from her body with scissors.
said the clothes which Chinwedu wore when she was brought to the hospital was
removed from her body with scissors.
“The woman said the girl mistakenly poured hot water on
herself. She was in pains. We have treated her and she is now getting better,”
she said.
herself. She was in pains. We have treated her and she is now getting better,”
she said.
A neigbour of Ifeoma, who identified herself as Abe, said
they had cautioned her to stop beating the girl to no avail.
they had cautioned her to stop beating the girl to no avail.
“If any of the neighbours gave her food, she would beat her.
We talked to her several times to stop beating the girl, but she refused. I was
not at home on the day the incident happend, she did not allow anybody to
intervene,” she added.
We talked to her several times to stop beating the girl, but she refused. I was
not at home on the day the incident happend, she did not allow anybody to
intervene,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mbakwe had been arraigned before an Ogba
Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday on two counts of assault.
Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday on two counts of assault.
She was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two
sureties in like sum after she pleaded not guilty to the counts.
sureties in like sum after she pleaded not guilty to the counts.
The case was adjourned till January 27, 2016.
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