Monday, October 5, 2026 - A Magistrate Court in Imo State, presided over by Chief Magistrate C.J. Nkwoada, s
haa sentenced Rose Okon to six months in prison for
inflicting grievous harm on her 14-year-old niece, whom she was caring for.
In its ruling, the court stated that the convict could pay a
fine of N50,000 instead of serving the six-month prison term.
Rose Okon pleaded guilty when she was arraigned by the
police on a charge of assault.
The charge sheet read: “that you Rose Okon F, on the 19th of September at 1800 hrs at Umuneke, Ngor Okpala in the Ngor Okpala Magisterial district did assault one Favour Emmanuel, 14 years by pouring hot water on her head and body, which caused her grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 355 of the Criminal Code Cap C38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Imo State of Nigeria.”
The prosecution counsel, Sampson Obodo, showed the court
photographs of the injuries the convict inflicted on the minor, and tendered
the statements made at the police by the complainant and the victim and that of
a human rights organisation, Stand For Humanity Foundation, which initiated her
arrest.
The Court, before sentencing Okon after her conviction, asked the convict to plead for allocution as she asked the court to have mercy on her.
The Counsel to the convict, Innocent Onyekwere, asked the
court to be lenient in sentencing the convict.
Recall that the convict was arrested following a petition by
a human rights organisation, Stand For Humanity Foundation.
The president of the Organization, Chidiebube Okeoma, who
led over 20 members of the Organization to the court on Friday, told
journalists that the organisation initiated the arrest of the woman to remind
people that child abuse is a punishable offence in law.
Okeoma, a journalist and child rights advocate, said that
the conviction and sentencing of the woman would serve as a lesson to all
abusers of children.
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