1st March, 2012
A landlady, Mrs. Comfort Ugba, along with her daughter, Nwaka, have been arrested and charged before the Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, for allegedly battering a tenant’s wife, Jenifer Obiomion.
The housewife, it was gathered, was beaten because her husband refused to pack out of their house after being given a quit notice.
The defendants were alleged to have dragged the victim and used iron rod to hit her when her husband had gone to work.
The incident happened at 4, John Omolaja Street, Obadore, outskirts of Lagos. According to Jenifer, they paid two years rent for the two bedroom apartment.
They were shocked that not quite a year after, they were given notice to pack out. She said that her husband pleaded with them to allow them finish the rent they paid for but they refused.
“Since then, they have been harassing and intimidating her family. Sometimes, they will lock us outside to frustrate us from packing out,” the complainant narrated.
On what led to the assault, Jenifer said the landlady sent her daughter to beat her house girl, Chioma.
She said it was a ploy to get at her, adding that when she came out to find out what was happening, the landlady and her daughter grabbed her, beat and used iron to hit her head and other parts of her body. She fell down and was rushed to the hospital.
In response, Mrs. Ugba confirmed that she served the tenant quit notice because they were troublesome.
She said she offered to give the tenant his money to look for another accommodation but they refused the money. She denied injuring her.
They pleaded not guilty and the presiding magistrate, Mrs M.B. Folami granted them bail in the sum of N100,000.
The magistrate ordered their detention, pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
The matter has been adjourned till 4 April.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe