Mother jailed five years for throwing baby in river

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A 30-year-old mother, Yidiat Bakare, has been sentenced to five years in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for throwing her three-month-old baby into a river in Ifon-Osun community, Osun State.

Yidiat was said to have thrown the baby into the river to express her grievance following a disagreement with her husband, Amodu Bakare.

According to the charge sheet obtained on Friday by our correspondent, the offence was committed on January 10, 2013 at about 4pm.

The woman, who pleaded guilty to the offence when the charge was read to her, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Police prosecutor, Mr. Oladoye Joshua, said her behaviour resulted in the death of the baby, stressing that the offence was punishable under Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.

Yidiat’s lawyer, Mr. Jimoh Daramola, urged the court to be lenient in its judgement, describing the incident as a personal tragedy to the mother.

After listening to the positions of the prosecution and defence counsel, Magistrate Olusola Aluko found Yidiat guilty.

The magistrate described the crime as unacceptable and heinous.

Aluko said, “People should exhibit restraint during disputes. It is always good to seek amicable resolution of conflicts at all times.

“The baby sent to the grave does not know whether the parents were quarrelling or not. This crime is unacceptable and heinous.”

He thus sentenced Yidiat  to five years in prison with hard labour without an option of fine.

 Parents remanded for assaulting son with hot charcoal

Also, an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the parents of a 12-year-old boy, David Ajibade, be remanded in prison custody for allegedly pouring hot charcoal on the boy.

David’s 49-year-old father, Elkannah Ajibade, and his wife, Elizabeth, were arraigned for allegedly tying David up and pouring hot charcoal on him as a deterrent for attending a church’s vigil.

The charge sheet obtained by our correspondent on Friday explained that the offence was committed on January 2, 2013, in Okinni community of Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.

Specifically, the court was told that the couple allegedly tied-up the hands and feet of David while they poured hot charcoal on his body.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Elisha Olusegun, said the boy was thrown out of the house after he was bathed with charcoal, adding that a good Samaritan took him to a juvenile centre.

Olusegun said the parents were arrested after the boy was brought to the juvenile centre, adding that the offence was punishable under sections 516, 335 and 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.

Both parents pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and causing bodily harm.

Their lawyer, Mr. O. O Alabi, applied for their bail, assuring the court that the accused persons would provide reliable sureties and would not jump bail.

But the Magistrate, Mr. Adebayo Lasisi, refused the bail application, ordering that both parents be remanded in Ilesa prison.

Lasisi also ordered that the boy should be brought to court on January 25 – the next adjourned day.

He said the boy’s appearance in court would provide an opportunity to ascertain his condition.