The Anambra State Police Command has charged one Charity Effiong for allegedly putting pepper in her housemaid’s private parts over the accusation that she stole N26,000.
The 12-year-old housemaid was reportedly battered in the process of eliciting information from her over the missing money.
The incident happened on Nzekwe Street, near the Kwata junction in Awka, the state capital.
The victim, who hails from Ebonyi State, was said to have been stripped naked by the boss, who allegedly put pepper in her private parts.
“The woman later drove her away from the house around 10.30pm. The victim, a primary four pupil, was later found by a passer-by while wandering and crying on the Kwata Road,” a source told our correspondent.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim, who had torture marks on her body, said she was manhandled by her boss on several occasions.
“She (Effiong) always flogs me with an electrical cable. She has her own children but she hardly beats them or send them on errands,” the victim stated.
The woman, who picked up the victim, Amaka Okoye, said it took about 30 minutes for the effect of the pepper to wear off on the girl.
The Secretary, Anambra State Child Protection Network, Hope Okoye, described the incident as a violation of the state’s Child Right Act of 2004.
She stated, “Stuffing Cameroon pepper in the girl’s private parts is another level of abuse, which has psychological, physical and emotional consequences.
“I don’t know why this should be swept under the carpet. We shall take it up. This is an inhuman treatment of the little girl.”
A police source told our correspondent that Effiong had been arrested and detained at the Central Police Station, Awka.
“It was not long after the matter was reported at the police station that the madam appeared, claiming that the housemaid was abducted,” the source added.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident.
“The suspect was charged today (Wednesday) and the girl has been handed over to her parents. Effiong was arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court 1, Awka,” he stated.
Mohammed added that the suspect claimed that the victim stole the sum of N26,000 from her house, which made her to remove the girl’s underwear in search of the money.
“She said the girl stole her N26,000, which made her to remove her pants in order to know if the girl hid the money in her pants,” the PPRO said.
