One Ojeriahi Victor, 30, yesterday, appeared before an Ogudu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State for allegedly beating his elder brother’s wife to a pulp because she was barren.
It was alleged that the accused told their neighbours that he beat up his sister-in-law because she had refused to give his elder brother a child after five years of marriage.
Ojeriahi, a businessman who lives on Ibefun Street, Alapere, is facing a one-count charge of assault occasioning harm.
The prosecutor, Mr. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 14 at the complainant’s residence.
Ihiehie said that the incident happened shortly after the complainant, a trader, came back from the market that night.
Ihiehie said: “She looked for the key where her husband normally kept it for her, but did not find it. As she waited outside for her husband to come back, her brother-in-law came into the compound.
“He walked to where she was standing and pushed her. She fell.”
The prosecutor, a sergeant, said that the accused took the torchlight the complainant was holding and started hitting her face.
“The accused beat her to a pulp until neighbours came to her rescue,” he added.
Ihiehie said that as soon as the complainant’s husband came back and saw what his younger brother had done, he confronted him and was about to beat him up when neighbours stopped him.
He said that the accused narrated to the neighbours that he beat up his sister in-law because she had refused to give his elder brother a child after five years of marriage.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, alleged that the complainant refused to let him into the house when he came back from work.
The magistrate, Mrs O. S. Amzat, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N10,000 with two reliable sureties and adjourned the matter till July 17.
NAN
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