*Neighbours Disclose Constant Beatings, Maltreatment Of Little Girl
*Suspect Arrested
*Angry State Govt Officials Vow Prosecution Till Justice Is Done Fast
By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Enugu State Government and the Police have moved against a stepmother, Mrs. Ogechi John, for alleged child homicide.
Mrs. John, who hails from Oderiko in Ikwo Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State, was arrested by the police on Monday morning for allegedly beating her nine-year-old stepdaughter, Miss Ogechi Amanda John, to death at their Nchatancha residence, Emene area of Enugu metropolis.
Neighbours reported that the event allegedly occurred around 3pm on Sunday, noting that little Miss Ogechiwhad been a victim of constant and ruthless maltreatment at the hands of her stepmother.
Reacting, the State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, has expressed government’s anger over the incident, saying it would not relent until justice is done.
“It is on record that the Governor Peter Mbah administration has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, let alone child homicide. So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested.
“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.
“Nobody should take another’s life and certainly not the life of any child in Enugu State. We condemn it in totality,” she stated.
Checks by People&Politics showed that in Enugu State, the penalty for child homicide (murder) is death by hanging.
It was further learned that inder the state’s Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004, the intentional killing of a child is treated as murder, and Section 319 prescribes the death sentence.
*PHOTO CAPTION: The stepmother.
