From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Good Book in Proverbs 11:21 made it explicit that “The wick shall not be unpunished” and down in Proverbs 21:11 the same Good Book says, “When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise”.
These short passages of the Bible, among others, perhaps informed why the Abia State Police Command has vowed to prosecute a woman, Mrs Zazi David Orjiugo Kelechi who exhibited high level of callousness on her 10-year-old house maid, Miss Ifunanya Edeh.
The young lady, Mrs Kelechi is said to hail from Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, but resides in Umuahia, Abia State while the husband lives in South Africa.
Said to be a member of the Christ Embassy Church which has “Love” as its watch word, but Mrs Kelechi’s atrocious actions against her poor house maid, was antithesis to what Christianity at large professes.
Hear this: A source told Sunday Sun that when Mrs Kelechi went to pick Miss Ifunanya from her parents, she promised to give the little girl a lifeline, but instead she turned a tormentor to the poor girl. The lady was said to have among other forms of horrendous punishments at will doused the girl with hot water mixed with pepper thereby inflicting bodily injuries on her. She was equally alleged to have forced the girl to drink the hot water and pepper mixture which burnt her mouth, throat, voice box, as well as esophagi, thus making it difficult for the girl to even breathe properly.
The lady’s atrocity against the poor whom she lived with at a housing estate behind Saclux Paint off Aba Road, in Umuahia, did not end with the above.
“The girl told us that the woman (Mrs David) was in the habit of stuffing pepper into her eyes and vagina too, as well as poking other objects into her private part. Medical personnel confirmed the girl’s hymen is missing and that there may be lacerations,” the source disclosed.
The source who claimed to be the lady’s neighbour also said: “The latest injuries you see in the pictures are when Mrs Zazi David Orjiugo Kelechi forced hot water down Ifunanya’s throat. It burnt her lips, her throat, her esophagus/trachea and medical personnel say they suspect her stomach is damaged. At first she couldn’t breathe, but she later gradually started to breath. But as at date, Ifunanya still cannot eat solid food. She will likely need surgery”.
There is no doubt that poor Ifunanya has remained in Mrs David’s house of horror, receiving the most inhuman treatment for months. This was corroborated by a young man who claimed to be Ifunanya’s kinsman.
“If you look at the pictures you would see the girl has been the victim of many, many months of physical abuse and violation. There are so many scars on her body. Actually layers upon layers of scars that have healed on top each other, telling stories of repeated scourging by the woman. There are aspects of the girl’s pain that the picture cannot tell”.
He was of the view that if the pictures could be taken two weeks after the horror and the scars on the girl’s body were so pronounced, then it remained to be imagined the level of injuries that would have been seen on the girl’s body if the pictures were taken when the last incident happened.
According to reports, little Ifunanya had on one occasion after receiving her madam’s maltreatment, went to church. On seeing the scars on her body, the pastor was said to have enquired from Mrs Kelechi, the lady with the heart of Jezebel, what happened to her domestic servant.
The evil lady reportedly falsely claimed the poor girl mistakenly poured herself hot water she had earlier prepared to take her bath with.
When the pastor insisted in knowing the truth, the lady allegedly raised her voice against the man of God.
The latest which brought Mrs Kelechi’s atrocities to the open occurred last Sunday when after allegedly scourging her maid’s body, doused it with hot water said to have been boiled at 100 degree centigrade, mixed as usual with pepper, fearing the girl may die in her home, took the poor girl to a local chemist shop for treatment.
The patent medicine dealer on seeing the enormity of the injuries inflicted on the girl was reported to have advised the woman to take her to a hospital for proper treatment, an advice the suspect rejected which prompted the patent medicine dealer to raise the alarm.
Neighbours gathered and invited the police who promptly arrested the woman who is said to be doing everything humanly possible to get herself out of the hook.
“The cat was let out of the bag last Sunday when the suspect forced the little girl to drink hot water she mixed with pepper. This time, the horrendous attack burnt the little girl’s lips, her mouth, throat, voice box as well as esophagi, thus making it difficult for her to even breathe well.
“The poor girl’s body radiates like a kaleidoscope, it seems that Mrs. David has been scourging the child for sometime before finally dousing her with the hot water.
“It was a pitiable scene as the child, who could not seat or lie down because of the bodily injuries; she was writhing in pains at the police station as a result of what she went through in the hands of her madam,” they said.
Investigation revealed that the girl indeed needs extensive surgery if she is to speak well or eat normally again.
Meanwhile, the little girl, Ifunanya, is currently undergoing medical rehabilitation and management.
Exasperated by Mrs Kelechi’s action, the wife of the governor of Abia State, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu was reported to have waded into the matter and taken over the cost of treatment for the 10-year-old girl.
The Abia First lady who paid an unscheduled visit to the hospital ward to see the child was reported to have expressed profound shock at the horrific injuries on the body of the orphan and described the women’s action as very inhumane and barbaric.
The governor’s wife was reported to have said: “I saw the first pictures of the injuries of the girl last week and immediately I reached out to the Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede. She has assured me that the investigation has been sped up and the perpetrator will be charged to court. I have confidence in the police under Mrs Agbede, she is a mother and understands the import of safeguarding our children”.
Mrs Ikpeazu was quoted as saying, “Last Friday, I also directed the State Action Committee Against Gender Based Violence to follow up on the case and work with stakeholders including FIDA, Child Protection Network, NAPTIP and others and ensure things are done right. I am certain that justice will be gotten to serve as deterrent to others who are in the habit of viciously maltreating our children”.
The infuriated Abia First Lady was equally reported to have said: “I came to the hospital today to see things for myself and I am indeed shocked at the brutality, barbarism and the viciousness of the attacks on the little girl.
“I have directed my personal physician to join the medical team handling the girl’s care while we are also getting throat specialists and surgeons to look at her. I have made some donations towards her care and upkeep and I will also pick up her medical bills at the end of treatment.
“I have met with her parents and expressed my sympathies with them.
“However, it is important that we emphasize here that parents should take care of their biological children and stop trafficking out children to people who do not appreciate or value life. Give birth to your child and care for them. Do not have more children than you can adequately train.”
Unconfirmed report said that the lady had been taken to court and remanded in custody.