The wife of a police officer attached to the ‘B’ Division in Okwe, Delta State, Mrs Precious Joseph, has been jailed for two years without an option of fine for physically abusing her nine-year-old house help.

Chief Magistrate P. O. Obayuwana of the Magistrates’ Court 11 in the Okwe Magisterial District, in his ruling, sentenced the 31-year-old Precious to two years’ imprisonment for using a hot kitchen knife to inflict injury on the victim’s mouth, Punch Newspaper reports.

The two counts read, “That you, Precious Joseph, on July 31, 2020, at Iyasele Street, Okwe, in the Okwe Magisterial District, did unlawfully assaulted the victim by causing her harm with hot knife on her mouth, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 355 of the Criminal Code, Cap C21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That you, Precious Joseph, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did threaten violence with a kitchen knife on the victim, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 86 (2) of the Criminal Code, Cap C21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.”

She pleaded guitly to the charges.

The chief magistrate sentenced Precious to two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

The case of child abuse was reported at the ‘B’ Division Police Station at Okwe by a neighbour, Mr Simeon Morba, who saw the deep injury on the victim’s mouth while she was fetching water and upon enquiry, he was told that her boss inflicted it on her.

Precious stated that she inflicted the injury on the victim because she took a piece of meat from the pot of soup contrary to her warning.

Expressing joy over the judgment, the representative of the Child Rights Implementation Committee, Mrs Awele Ideal, said justice had been served and the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who deal violently with children in their custody.