Woman who scalded 13-year-old maid with hot water for sleeping on couch arraigned in court
The woman who allegedly rained hot water on her maid in Port Harcourt, Christiana Eze, has been arraigned in court.
Eze allegedly scalded 13-year-old Beauty Uwagie with the boiling liquid on July 4, with claims that she found the maid sleeping on her couch.
Beauty’s condition was noticed by her teacher in the school and she called the attention of the school management.
The little girl was subsequently handed over to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State branch, and Eze was arrested.
The Secretary of FIDA, Rivers State branch, Nnenna Igbokwe, said Beauty “went to school on Wednesday and her teacher saw how she was writhing in pain. She was asked to remove her cloth only for them to see her scalded body. The school management brought her to us and we interviewed her.
“She said she had been living with that woman for some time and she had been sleeping on bare floor. On that day, after working the whole day, she was tired and she slept off using the couch to support her body. When the woman woke up around 2am, she went to get the water, which was boiled and kept in a flask for her baby, and poured it on her. Waking up from the shock and not realising who inflicted the pain on her, she ran to her guardian who pushed her to the ground and started beating her up as well.’
“We took her to the Kala Police Station and insisted that the woman must be arrested, while the girl has been in the custody of FIDA, receiving treatment.”
Eze, upon her arraignment before a Port Harcourt Magistrates’ Court on two counts of use of a child for forced labour and unlawful assault, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate, F.N Amanze, remanded her in custody till July 19, 2018.
