“I have warned him several times to stay in the house and not to go out and play with other children.” Asked why she burnt him with hot pressing iron, she simply said: “Because he drank a bottle of seven-up without my permission.”
LAGOS:The Lagos State police has arrested a 35-year-old trader, Sarah Eteigbe, for burning her 12-year-old houseboy with an iron for drinking her soft drink
The incident which occurred in Bariga area of Lagos, left the houseboy, Friday Obi with a cut on his forehead and burns on his left shoulder and scars all over his body. The houseboy who is a Primary 5 pupil of Pedro Primary School, was brought from Imo State to live with the trader, Sarah Eteigbe, four years ago in her one-room apartment at 17 Mutairu Street, Pedro, Bariga.
The lady’s arrest came after teachers who noticed bloodstains on the houseboy’s uniform, were told that Sarah Eteigbe burnt him with an iron upon inquiry. Sarah, whose landlord and teachers at Friday’s school had cautioned against inflicting injuries on the boy whenever she beats him, was arrested after the Local Government Education Authority at Shomolu Local Government contacted Coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Mr. Toyin Okanlanwon, who subsequently reported the matter to the Police at Pedro police Station.
Upon interrogation, Sarah said;
“I have warned him several times to stay in the house and not to go out and play with other children.”
Asked why she burnt him with hot pressing iron, she simply said: “Because he drank a bottle of seven-up without my permission.”
Speaking to Vanguard correspondent, Coordinator of CPN, Okanlawon, described the physical abuse on the boy as wicked.
“When we got the information through the Local Government Education Authority, we swung into action by visiting the perpetrator’s house and making sure that she was arrested.
“CPN Shomolu and the Ministry of Youths and Social Development social worker, Shomolu, intervened in the matter and it was agreed that the boy should be placed in a shelter, as a result of the injury inflicted on him by his guardian.
“The Divisional Police Officer charged Sarah to court. She was granted N200,000 bail with four sureties in like sum.
“She was remanded at the Ikoyi Female Prison, pending when she would meet the bail conditions, while the case was adjourned till December 3″ he said.
