A 25-year-old woman, Ms Toyin Akinbobola, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for dumping her day-old baby inside a pit toilet at her idanre home, Ondo State. Akinbobola, who was found guilty by a Chief Magistrate in the Idanre Judicial Division, Mrs. Folashade Aduroja, last Friday dumped the baby in the toilet minutes after giving birth to her on October 18.
Our correspondent learnt that a young boy who wanted to use the toilet moments after Akinbobola carried out the criminal act had drawn the attention of other neighbours to the cry of the baby inside the toilet.
Some of residents who rushed to the scene immediately reported the matter at Olofin Police Station.
The baby was said to have been covered with excreta and maggots when she was removed from the stench by policemen drafted to the scene.
The baby, it was learnt, was taken to Idanre General Hospital from where she was referred to the Mother and Child Hospital in Akure for a comprehensive medical treatment.
Although the baby’s life was saved, medical reports indicated that one of her ears and left eye were not functional again. The baby was taken to the Motherless babies’ home on Akure-Oba-Ile Road where she is currently being attended to on the directives of the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs.
The police could not arrest the mother of the baby and the person who impregnated her immediately because they had both fled the town.
However, Akinbobola was later sighted at Omifun village where her mother had a farm and was arrested by the police. She was arraigned on a three-count including an attempted murder contrary to Section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 30 Laws of Ondo State, 1978.
Five witnesses testified in the case which lasted a few weeks.
However, there was a melodrama in the court on Friday when the defence counsel pleaded with the magistrate, before delivering her judgment, to temper justice with mercy because Akinbobola was pregnant again. The magistrate, who was obviously shocked by the piece of information, asked Akinbobola whether the information was true or not.
In her response, Akinbobola confessed that one of her mother’s labourers on the farm was responsible for the pregnancy. But the magistrate said Akinbobola was guilty and sentenced her to two and a half years imprisonment, adding that her case would serve as a deterrent to others.
The convict will serve her prison term at Olokuta Prisons, Akure.
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