One Jessica Obinomeh and her mother, Sandra, have drawn a battle line at an Ogba magistrates’ court, Lagos State, over lingering family issues.
Obinomeh alleged that her mother and siblings tortured her with a hot iron, compelling her to lie that her father raped her.
The plot, according to the 20-year-old woman, was meant to shame her father who is based abroad, and his extended family.
But the mother debunked her claim, saying that she was tortured for stealing N345,000 from her (Sandra’s) account.Obinomeh said her mother wanted to get back at her husband for allegedly marrying another woman abroad.
In a petition dated January 27, 2020 and addressed to the Divisional Police Officer, Man Centre Police Station, Ikeja, Obinomeh stated that her mother in connivance with her (Obinomeh’s) brothers, held her in a room for days and declared her missing. Obinomeh explained that when her mother and siblings noticed she would not dance to their tune, they resorted to assaulting her. She said she surrendered because they threatened to kill her.
She said after the recording, the family members refused to set her free because the injury on her back was fresh, adding that she eventually managed to sneak out and reported the case to her uncle. She stated that the uncle confronted her mother but she denied beating me.
Following the petition, Sandra was arrested by the police, but she denied her daughter’s allegations, stating that the complainant was punished by her brother for stealing.
She explained that sometime in 2016, Obinomeh confessed to her that her father had been having sex with her. She said she was shocked, but she “didn’t react because the matter was really huge.” Sandra said she had gone to the bank one day to withdraw money and was told her account was empty.
A police prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi, consequently brought Sandra before the Ogba Magistrates’ Court on three counts bordering on assault and false accusation.
Emuerhi told the court that the offences contravened sections 168(D), 245 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015. Sandra, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, granted her bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in the like sum. The case was adjourned till March 4, 2020.
