The Imo State Police Command has arrested 38-year-old businesswoman Juliet Igwe for allegedly using candlelight to inflict injuries on the private parts of her six-year-old maid, Onyinyechi.
Apart from inflicting injuries on the minor’s private part, the businesswoman also used hot water to peel off the child’s two hands and used candle wax to scald her body.
Parading the suspect at the Command headquarters in Owerri, the Spokesperson for the Police in the State, Henry Okoye, disclosed that the woman’s arrest followed intelligence received by the operatives of the Ideato North police Divisional headquarters.
He also commended Stand for Human Rights Foundation, a non profitable organization, founded by an activist Journalist, Chidiebube Okeoma, for alerting the police of the incident and assisting in the arrest of the suspect.
Okoye, who described the woman’s act as despicable and totally unacceptable disclosed that the suspect would have her day in court as soon as investigation is completed.
He disclosed that the state commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, is unhappy with the act and had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal Investigations Department to investigate the matter and charge the suspect to court.
When interviewed, the suspect who accepted responsibility for the act, told Journalists that she didn’t know that the use of candle wax and boiled water on the girl was going to cause grievous harm to her.
She accused the child of stealing meats from her pot, adding that she only battered her so as to forestall future reoccurrence.
Speaking on the matter, Okeoma disclosed that his foundation alerted the Police on the act of child bullying in Uruala Community in Ideato North LGA.
He further disclosed that apart from rescuing the child and handing her over to the Police in Ideato, his organization also assisted the police to arrest the suspect.
“This wickedness is not tolerated in a sane society like ours and should be condemned.
We have taken over the medical and welfare packages of the minor. We have taken her to the Imo State University Medical Centre in Owerri for proper medical investigations and treatments.
“We thank the Executive Secretary of the State Health Insurance Agency, Dr Uche Ewelike, for expressively approving complete free medical care for the minor, owing the urgency of her condition.
Also thank the Commissioner of Police for immediately ordering the transfer of the matter to the state CID in Owerri for speedy investigation “Okeoma said.
