How 2 women inflicted wounds on 9-yr-old to use her to beg for money

Two women have been arrested in the FESTAC Town area by men of the Lagos State Police Command for abusing a nine-year-old girl identified as Joy Esemonu.

The suspects, identified as Amadi and Mama Esther used the 9-year-old to beg for alms with reports revealing that Amadi allegedly poured chemicals on different parts of the body of Joy which made her sustain injury on different parts of her body in order to elicit pity from the public when begging on the streets.

Reports say Joy who was led by the suspects was made to beg for alms from passersby everyday on a pedestrian bridge in the FESTAC area and at the end of the day, the two suspect would share the money realised.

Respite however came the way of Joy when an observant pedestrian took particular interest in the victim and subsequently reported the case to the police in the FESTAC division.

The matter was later referred to the Office of the Public Defender, which transferred the victim to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters for further investigation and probe.

Revealing more about the matter, a social worker who is in the know about the issue said the victim is a relation of Mama Esther who brought her from a village in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

“The girl lived in Port Harcourt with her parents. But last year, her mother handed her over to Mama Esther after the latter promised to support the family by taking the girl to Lagos. She said the girl would continue her education when they get to Lagos.” The social worker said.

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Continuing, the social worker added that; “However, when she brought her to Lagos, she decided to hand her over to Amadi, who she owed some money. The woman then decided to use her for begging.

“The girl said she noticed that Amadi would make her sleep before pouring a substance suspected to be chemical on her body. By the time she woke up and scratched the spots after feeling some pains, they would become sore. The woman would then bandaged the place and take her out for begging.

“She said whenever the injuries heal, she would make her sleep again and pour the chemical on her.
The woman started with her bottoms and then her laps. She said such had happened about four different times.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, revealed that; “Investigation reveals that it is their stock in trade.”

 

 

 

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