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| Victim |
Rosemary Nnaife, 25, who was allegedly bathed with acid by her ex-lover
in the Lawanson, Surulere area of Lagos State, has demanded the prosecution of
the suspect, identified as Paul.
The Delta State indigene, whose face had been scarred by the acid, said
since the incident, Paul had yet to be prosecuted.
The victim explained that she had dated Paul for four years before the
relationship ended due to abuse and violence.
She said she got into another relationship, which did not go down well
with the suspect, who allegedly began sending threat messages to her and her
new boyfriend.
The threat allegedly culminated in an acid bath after she was tricked
out of her residence in the Abaranje, Ikotun area of the state.
Nnaife said she was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital,
Surulere, by sympathisers, while Paul was arrested by policemen from the Itire
division.
She said although the Directorate of Public Prosecutions ordered that
the suspect be tried at the Lagos State High Court, the case was still pending.
She said, “I dated Paul for four years and I loved him. But the problem
was that he was always beating me. He also embarrassed me in the public, so I
ended the relationship.
“I got another boyfriend and moved on with my life. But Paul was angry
and he attacked me. He got my new boyfriend’s number and threatened him. He
also threatened me. But I didn’t take the threats seriously.
“Some days later, an unknown number called me and when I picked it, it
was a woman. She said she wanted me to bake cakes for her and I should come
down to Surulere. We agreed to meet at Lawanson bus stop.
“When I got to the bus stop, somebody touched my shoulder from behind.
When I turned around, I saw Paul. He then poured the acid on me and ran away.”
She added that the matter was reported to the police at the Itire
division, and later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and
Intelligence Department, Yaba.
It was learnt that the suspect was arraigned by the police at the
Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he was admitted to bail.
However, the case was said to have stalled.
Nnaife called for justice, saying she wanted the suspect to pay damages
and bear the cost of a plastic surgery.
“He has been walking free, while I have been scarred for life. I want
him to pay for this. I need the help of the government and the good people of
Nigeria,” she added.
The Director of the Lagos State Public Advice Centre, Mrs. Tola
Akinsanya, said the agency would revive the case to ensure there was diligent
prosecution of the suspect.
She said, “The woman was allegedly bathed with acid by her ex-boyfriend
on June 3, 2015, and he was arrested and taken to a magistrate’s court. When
the DPP’s advice was released, it ordered that the case should be transferred
to the high court.
“Although we are aware the case has been filed, it has yet to be
assigned to any court since last year. We are working with the Lagos State
Office of the Public Defender to assemble a team of lawyers to represent her.
We must ensure that she gets justice.”
Akinsanya explained that the agency would also make effort to get
support from the state ministry of health for a plastic surgery for Nnaife.
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