Kemisola Oye
A makeup artist, Mercy Osondu, earlier today told a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja of how her stepmother, Chinyere Osondu, allegedly inserted a stick into the vagina of her six-year-old niece (name withheld).
Mercy alleged that Chinyere (alias Mama Chekwube) inserted the stick into the minor’s private part because she bedwet.
The witness, while being led in evidence by State Counsel, Ms Inumidun Solarin, narrated that she got to know about the alleged incident while she went home to receive mourners following the death of her father sometime in August 2021.
According to the witness, the alleged survivor, whose father is based in Dubai, at the time lived with the defendant on Iyana-Ibiye, Morogbo in Lagos.
She said: “My niece was staying with my father and stepmother for three years, but in 2021 when my father died, we went home with my brother so that we could receive mourners that came on condolence visits to us.
“I noticed my niece had a big injury on her head; flies were perching on it, and I asked her what happened, but she was reluctant to speak about it.
“On the second day, while I went outside the compound, I met one of our neighbours, and she told me we should take the victim away from my stepmother whenever we were leaving.
“After so much persuasion, my niece told me Mama hit her head with a padlock because she wee on the bed.”
The witness further told the court that when she took her niece home and directed her to bend down in order to have her bathe, she could not.
According to Mercy, there are various marks all over the girl’s body as she couldn’t bend down to wash her private parts.
The witness said: “I took her to the bathroom to have her bath, but she said she could not bend down, and after much persuasion, she confessed that Mama Chekwube inserted a stick in her vagina because she wee at home.
“My brother and I called Mama on the phone to ask why she inserted a stick in the girl’s vagina but she hung the call on us.
“My brother and I reported the case at a police station but the DPO locked my brother in the cell and insisted he would not release him if we do not drop the case.
“We later dropped the case, but when the victim’s father, Ifeanyi, who is in Dubai, learnt about the case, he contracted an NGO and the case was transferred to Panti.”
While under cross-examination, the witness confirmed that the alleged survivor was the daughter of her younger brother and that Ifeanyi reported to an NGO while still in Dubai.
The witness also told the court that she did not know what happened between Ifeanyi and the mother of the alleged survivor.
“My father died in August 2021, and it was when I went to my father’s house for condolence visits by morners that I noticed the wound on my niece’s head.
“My stepmother and Ifeayin are very close, and their relationship was cordial.
“I do not know if my brothers wanted to take the house from our stepmother because she did not have a male child for our father,” Mercy said.
Chinyere is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on sexual assault by penetration, assault, wounding and grievous harm.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravene sections 173, 261, 245 and 246 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the case till 5 November 2024 for the continuation of the trial.
Eighteen-Eleven Media