Crimes

Woman beats 11-year-old maid to death in Plateau

A woman has been arrested for allegedly torturing and killing her 11-year-old maid, Margaret Joshua, in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The woman, who is a microbiologist in one of the research institutes in Vom and a resident of K-Vom in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, was said to have allegedly immersed the minor in hot water until her buttocks were severely burnt.

It was gathered that Joshua, who hails from Kebbi State and fled from insecurity in her community, was brought to Jos by a supposed helper, but took her to serve as a maid in the suspect’s home.

The suspect, a mother of two, it was learned, promised to enroll the victim in school but did not do so, rather, indulged in daily beating of the girl until it resulted in her death.

It was further gathered that after the recent beating, the little girl was forced to sit in a container filled with hot water which severely burnt her buttocks and private part.

The suspect’s neighbour, Kaneng John, said it was not the first time the woman would assault the girl.

John said concerned neighbours had on many occasions reported the suspect to the police and was ordered to return the victim to her parents, adding that she refused until she tortured the girl to death.

Speaking on the incident, the Plateau State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Grace Pam, whose office was following up on the case, told NAN that based on the scars and wounds on the girl’s body, her guardians must have subjected her to series of torture during the period she stayed with them.

“Our attention was called to the situation on Monday by a staff of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), who said that an 11-year-old girl had been seriously beaten up and injured by her guardian.

“On getting to the hospital we saw several old and new scars, and injuries on her entire body. We were told that she was taken to Mandela hospital in K-Vom, but was referred to JUTH due to the severity of her wounds.

“When we met the suspect at the police station where she was initially detained, she claimed that the girl used to masturbate, and so she was beating her to serve as punishment to make her stop.

“She claimed she did not know what used to come over her each time she beat the girl because she quickly regrets it after the act.

“The suspect also claimed that the deceased fell into hot water after which she ran out of the house and did not return for almost 24 hours later,” Pam said.

She stated that the NHRC, however, gathered that someone saw the traumatised girl on the street and took her to the police station at K-Vom after which she was taken to the hospital, and died 24 hours later.

Confirming the arrest of the woman, the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, said an investigation was ongoing, adding that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

The Star