A 34-year-old woman, Uzoma Austin has been arraigned before an Ogudu magistrate’s court in Lagos for allegedly setting her 12-year-old foster child ablaze.
Mrs. Austin, who resides at 5, Adesoji Street, Agiliti, Mile 12 area of Lagos, was arraigned on a two-count charge of injuring by explosive substance and causing grievous harm.
The police in charge of the matter, Sergeant Lucky Ihiehie, had earlier told the court that the woman set the little girl ablaze on June 8, at her residence, for stealing N1,000.
The prosecutor explained that the offence contravened Sections 242 and 243 of the Lagos State Criminal Code Law, 2011, which stipulates 14 and seven years imprisonment, respectively, for convicted offenders.
The woman, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, had taken up the case after the Ketu Police Station Family Support Unit informed them of the incident.
The Coordinator of DSVRT, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, revealed that they rescued the child and took her to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.
According to her, “The girl was first taken for first aid at LASUTH, but now she is receiving treatment at the Gbagada General Hospital”
She further assured that an arrangement for where the victim will live after treatment would be taken care of and urged the people to report such unpleasant incidents around them.
