A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama has adjourned until July 8 for adoption of final written addresses in the alleged case of cruelty to a minor filed against a house wife, Esther Nwatu.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons accused Nwatu of beating her underage domestic worker with a cable wire and inflicting injury on her.
NAPTIP alleged that on or about July 7, 2016, the 14-year-old girl was beaten and injured by the defendant in Orozo area of Abuja.
The agency further claimed that Nwatu stripped the girl naked, tied her hands and legs, and flogged her with an electric wire on the said date.
The prosecution said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 2(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015.
The defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The parties had earlier closed their cases and the court fixed today, April 30 for the adoption of final written addresses by both counsel in the matter.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the defendant’s counsel Pius Ezema was absent in the court.
But when the matter was called, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Comfort Ajene informed the court that the defence counsel had earlier told her that he would not be in court on grounds of an emergency.
“The defence counsel had informed me that he has an emergency that his mother took ill and that he would be attending to her,’’ Ajene said.
Justice Peter Kekemeke, after listening to the explanation, adjourned the matter until July 8 for the parties to adopt their final written addresses. (NAN)
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