The Police in Imo State have arrested a 35-year-old businesswoman identified as Edith Nwachukwu for battering her 13-year-old house help, Kelechi Ejieke.
The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Owerri Urban Divisional Police Headquarters after the minor was rescued from her at the popular Relief Market in Owerri, the state capital.
The woman, who is now detained by the police, accused the minor of stealing her money, an allegation which the minor denied.
According to our correspondent, the incident was reported to the police by human rights activist and founder of Stand for Humanity Foundation, Chidiebube Okeoma, along with some traders who alerted the police. The police came, picked up the minor, and arrested the suspect.
It was gathered that some traders who were present during the incident forcefully rescued the child from the businesswoman, who was not satisfied despite inflicting various degrees of injury on the girl.
Responding to the emergency call, men from the Owerri Urban Divisional Police Headquarters arrested the woman and rescued the minor.
The child, as was further gathered, was taken to a hospital in Owerri as the injuries she sustained were severe, and the suspect is currently cooling off at the police division.
Okeoma, while speaking to our correspondent, said that his attention was drawn to the incident following the call from the traders who rescued the minor, and he alerted the police.
Upon interrogation at the police station, the woman, who later pleaded for mercy, said her house help stole her money, an allegation the girl denied.
The woman said that it was anger that led her to maltreat the girl, as she pleaded for leniency.
The Stand for Humanity Foundation has vowed to see the end of the case, maintaining that the organization is interested in the matter and will ensure justice is served, to further serve as a deterrent to people who dehumanize children.
The spokesperson for the police in the state, DSP Henry Okoye, said that the State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has zero tolerance for child battering and all forms of crime.
Okoye disclosed that an investigation into the matter had commenced by the police in the state.
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