Although the governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, said his administration has begun the prosecution of a lawyer, Mrs. Adachukwu Cukelu-Okafor, over abuse of her 11-year-old housemaid, Happiness, a non-governmental organisation Save and Secure the Child Initiative, The Campaign against Child Abuse in Nigeria claims o have arranged an out-court settlement on the matter.
A release signed by one Kingsley Obi on behalf of the association titled: Update On The Case Of Young Girl Brutalized By Her Madam At Amawbia, Anambra State reads:
Yesterday at our meeting, we decided that;
- Both the husband and the culprit will sign an undertaking with us, to wit, that they won’t take in any underaged househelp.
- That in lieu of court processes against her, considering that we have agreed to take into cognizance the fact that she is breastfeeding, and that none of her family members is in support of her, but are grateful to us, that she should open a fixed deposit of N2m with the victim as the beneficiary, which she will access on turning 18. Failing to do this, we shall start her prosecution. Eventually we settled for the sum of N500,000. By next week Saturday we shall effect it. We eventually had a meeting with the DPO to have these ratified.
- The husband also accepted to train the victim henceforth to the university.
So, by next week Saturday we shall meet again to sign the undertaking and have the evidence of the Fixed deposit.
Our National Legal Advicer, Barrister SYZ Orlando adviced that whatever agreement must be done in the law court. But after much deliberation during our yesterday’s meeting, we settled with the above position, while keeping the later as an alternative means of action.
In addition to this, we handed over to the mother of the victim the sum of N30,000 as our contribution for her upkeep. Thereafter we officially handed over the victim to the mother.
Kingsley Obi (Anambra State Principal)
For: Save and Secure the Child Initiative, The Campaign against Child Abuse in Nigeria
The governor in a post on his official Facebook page, said the abuse of minors and vulnerable persons will not be tolerated in the state.
“Mrs. Adachukwu Cukelu-Okafor who visibly violated the young girl left in her custody is one out of many who do not deserve a place amongst decent humanity. We have commenced actions to ensure she is brought to Justice,” the Governor stated.
“This should serve as a firm warning to all Abusers of any kind, that Anambra State is not a place where their excesses will be condoned.
“Child’s Rights Act (2003) and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act (2017) have long been domesticated in Anambra together with other laws, and my administration is big on entrenching Law and Order as a foundation for building the liveable and prosperous homeland that we all seek.
“It is the highest sign of weakness to abuse or violate the vulnerable. This, and others like it, can not be tolerated in the Anambra State we are building.”
But for the timely intervention of neighbours, a female lawyer, Adachukwu Chukere Okafor would have killed her 11-year-old housemaid simply identified as Happiness Nwafor.
Adachukwu, a resident of Onitsha, Anambra State pounced on the minor girl and started brutalising her with hot iron, broken bottle and knife for allegedly touching the private part of her girl child whom Happiness was bathing.
The agonies and cries of the victim attracted neighbours who rushed to the scene and rescued the girl from her hands.
The witnesses promptly notified the state Ministry of Women and Social Welfares of the horrible development.
It was gathered that Adachukwu had abandoned the girl on the street with her relatives and drove away after the act.
As activists and other citizens demand the arrest and prosecution of Cukelu-Okafor, Nigerians are keenly watching the unfolding of events.
