A
25-year-old caterer, Rosemary Nnaife, 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 only 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.
Source:Punch
Tags
Society