Anambra-Based Lawyer Paraded by Police for Allegedly Assaulting Househelp
The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended Anambra-based lawyer Adachukwu Okafor, following allegations of assaulting her 10-year-old househelp. Okafor was paraded by the police after being declared wanted, with a N2 million bounty placed on her.
The accusations against Okafor include the use of a red-hot knife, an electric pressing iron, and other weapons to brutalize the underage househelp. According to ACP Olumiyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, the incident is being treated as a case of attempted murder and child abuse.
Speaking to the press at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja, Adejobi, represented by CSP Olabisi Okuwobi, explained that the househelp had only been working for two weeks at Okafor's residence before the alleged assault took place. Okafor claimed she caught the househelp fondling her six-year-old son's private parts during a bath, leading to the violent confrontation.
Details of the incident revealed that Okafor tied the househelp's hands and mouth, then proceeded to inflict severe physical harm, including inserting a hot knife into her private parts and using a hot electric iron on her cheeks and buttocks. The househelp was allegedly locked in a toilet without food for over a day.
The alarm was raised by the househelp's aunt after Okafor returned the injured girl to her care. Passersby intervened and recorded the scene, prompting police and officials from the Commissioner for Women Affairs in Anambra State to take action.
Adejobi reiterated the police's commitment to ensuring the prosecution of the case and justice for the househelp. The Inspector General of Police has assured Nigerians of a thorough investigation, emphasizing that no aspect of the incident will be overlooked.
Meanwhile, Minister of Women Affairs Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye urged the public to report acts of violence to ensure justice for the victims. She assured that the government would pursue the case rigorously.
In her defense, Okafor, a mother of four, denied inflicting any injuries on the househelp, claiming the injuries were accidental. She stated that the househelp fell on a burning camp gas while attempting to escape being beaten.
The case has sparked outrage and drawn attention to the plight of domestic workers in Nigeria, with calls for justice and protection for vulnerable individuals.
