Osun court convicts father for torturing six-year-old son

A 30-year-old man, Ola Emmanuel, was yesterday, sentenced to community service by a Family Court sitting in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, for beating his six-year-old son and inflicting bodily injuries on him over a plate of food.

The man, said to be a single parent, was arraigned by the state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for torturing the child, after he ate his father’s portion of the beans Emmanuel prepared.

Emmanuel was accused of abusing his son at his residence at N0 2, Temitope Street, Oke-Oniti, Osogbo. NSCDC said the victim had been out of school due to the inability of his father to pay his school fees.

According to the prosecution, the defendant prepared beans, served the little boy his own portion and kept the remaining for himself, but upon return from work, he discovered that his son had finished all the food.

The act, according to the prosecution, infuriated the man, which made him beat the boy mercilessly with a cable and inflicted injuries on his body.

It was learnt that a concerned neighbour raised the alarm and contacted the Area Commander of NSCDC, who subsequently arrested the defendant

The prosecution also alleged that the boy had been subjected to regular torture and abuse by his father and that the bodily wounds on the body of the boy, served as evidence of torture.

After investigation by the Anti Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit of the corps, the defendant was prosecuted.

Emmanuel pleaded guilty as charged and was sentenced to 24 hours community service after conviction.
The court ordered the boy to be remanded in the custody of Osun State Government children’s home.

In an interview, the convict accused his son of greed, picking up things that do not belong to him and that such attitude provoked him to punish the boy.

MEANWHILE, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corps (ASCII) Atanda Olabisi, in a statement yesterday, quoted Head, Anti-Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit, of the NSCDC, Chief Superintendent Cadre (CSC) Onifade Clement, as decrying the prevalence of child abuse in the state. He advised parents and guardians to desist from the act.

Also, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Emmanuel Ocheja has warned parents and guardians against any form of child abuse. He urged the public not to relent in giving adequate and proactive information to the corps for prompt response.