The police have arraigned a 16-year-old seamstress apprentice identified as Cecilia Ukpa before an Apapa Magistrates Court sitting in Lagos for pouring hot water on her colleague over a misunderstanding.
DAILY POST gathered that both Ukpa and the victim, identified as Abigail Albert, reside in the same house with their boss on Meyiga Street, Ilogbo, Ajangbadi area of the state.
Trouble was said to have started when Ukpa declined a directive by a senior apprentice to take the generator used inside the shop on June 23 while closing for the day.
Ukpa was said to have suggested to the senior apprentice to give the task to Albert, a suggestion which did not go down well with the victim, leading to an altercation between the two apprentices.
Commenting on the incident, Ukpa, who is also a senior secondary school pupil of the Ilogbo Grammar School, disclosed, “On the June 23, Abigail and I were in shop when our boss sent me to go and wash plates. I wanted to wash the plates when one of my seniors sent me to take the generator inside. I told her that our boss had sent me on an errand; that she should send Abigail or another person.
“As I was going to fetch water to wash the plates, the senior dragged me back and slapped me repeatedly. Abigail too started abusing me and we fought each other. She inflicted injury on my face before we were separated.”
It was further learnt that Albert who went to the kitchen to cook the following day at about 6pm met Ukpa boiling water. While the victim was busy with her cooking, Ukpa was said to have emptied the pot of boiling water on her, peeling off some parts of her body.
Police officers from Ilemba Hausa Division arrested the suspect after the incident was reported.
Following her arrest, Ukpa was arraigned by a police prosecutor, ASP Olusoji Ojaokomo, before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court on a one count charge of assault.
The charge reads, “That you, Cecilia Ukpa, on June 24, 2015, at about 6pm, on Meyiga Street, Ilogbo, Ajagbandi, Lagos, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did unlawfully assault one Abigael Albert, 17, by pouring hot water on her body, which caused her grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
When the charge was read, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the offence before the presiding Chief Magistrates, Mr. P.A. Adekomaya.
The Magistrates, Mr P.A. Adekomaya granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with a surety in like sum.
Adekomaya said, “The surety must present evidence of tax payment and his/her residential address to the court for verification.”
He adjourned the case till July 22, 2015 for mention.
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