Husband pours hot water on nursing wife in Enugu

Man arrested for searing 10-year-old boy with hot knife in Ogun
Barely a week after a magistrates’ court in Enugu State remanded a couple for allegedly abusing a 10-year old maid, another father of two has allegedly ‘redesigned’ the breast of his wife with hot water.

Mr Emmanuel Opoku battered the breasts of his nursing wife at the weekend after pouring hot water repeatedly on them, while his wife was feeding their three-month-old baby at their residence in Akwuke, Enugu South Local Government area, following a misunderstanding that had arisen when the wife, Grace, demanded money to prepare food for the family.

The hot water caused serious burns on the breasts and left her with some injuries.

The Communications Officer of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Mrs Egodi Igwe, who narrated the story to newsmen yesterday, said Mrs Opoku reported the incident in their office amid pains inflicted on her breasts.

She said: “The victim narrated to WACOL that her husband was in the habit of physically and verbally abusing her, denying her and the children necessities and always torturing her unprovoked. This latest incident happened when she asked him for money to prepare food for the family.

“He blatantly refused and while she was making pap for the three-month-old baby, he proceeded to pour the hot water on her breasts. Mrs Opoku has been in excruciating pain that whenever she tries to breastfeed the baby, her breast will start bleeding profusely.”

Efforts to get reaction from the police on the development yesterday proved abortive, but Igwe said: “WACOL has reported and referred the matter to the police, and provided medical and other assistance to the victim.

“The husband of the victim has been arrested and we appreciate the swiftness with which the Enugu Police Area Commander handled the matter. We are keenly following up on her treatment and prosecution of the perpetrator.”

Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man, Badmus Folarin, has been arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command for maltreating a 10-year-old boy, Sunday David, living with his family.

The suspect was arrested following a distress call received by the Divisional Poliçe Officer, Owode Egbado division, Olabisi Elebutte, from concerned neighbours to the family.

The neighbours, who reported through a telephone call, stated that they were hearing the sorrowful cry of a young boy at No. 12, Elegushi Street, Owode Yewa. Consequently, the DPO detailed the patrol team to the scene, where the young boy was seen lying down helplessly with serious injury all over his body.

On enquiry, it was discovered that the suspect put a knife on fire and when the knife was red hot, he applied it to the buttock of the young boy, thereby inflicting a second degree injury on the boy.

On interrogation, the suspect alleged that the victim, who is living with the family opened a tin of Milo beverage belonging to the suspect’s mother and leaked from it. The victim was rushed to OreOfe Hospital by the police for medical attention, while the suspect was arrested and detained.

The Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and possible prosecution.