35-year-old man sentenced for abusing son in Osun
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
A Family Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state capital, has sentenced a 35-year-old man, Ola Emmanuel, to a 24-hour community service for abusing his child.
Emmanuel was arraigned by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command for abusing his 6-year-old son at his residence at No. 2 Temitope Street, Oke-Oniti, Osogbo on the 17th March .
According to the NSCDC, the divorced man told the command during an interrogation that he (convict) prepared beans and served the boy his portion and kept the remaining food for himself, while he returning back from work, the boy had finished the all food.
Olabisi said that one of the convict’s neighbour reported the case the Area Commandant, adding that some members of the community in Osogbo told the command that the victim had been subjected to regular torture and abuse by his father.
He further said that they pointed to the scars and wounds sustained by the boy as evidence of torture by the father.
In a statement signed by the Commandant, CC Emmanuel Ocheja on Wednesday through the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corps II (ASC II) Atanda Olabisi at the State Headquarters, Osogbo, “The convict said his son is greedy, picking up things that do not belong to him, hence his anger towards him to discourage his bad behaviour.”
The command said, “After investigation by the Anti Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit of the NSCDC, Osun state Command, Ola Emmanuel was arraigned at a Family Court. The Court found Ola Emmanuel guilty as charged.
“The Defendant was therefore sentenced to 24 hours community service while the boy was ordered to remain in the custody of Osun State government at the Children’s Home.”
The Head, Anti-Human Trafficking, Irregular Migration and Gender Based Unit, of the NSCDC, Osun State Command, Chief Superintendent of Corps (CSC) Onifade Clement, decried the prevalence of child abuse in the country. He advised parents and guardians to desist from abusing any child under their care.
While commenting on the judgment, Commandant Ocheja stressed that any parent, guardian or whosoever that is found abusing a child would be made to face the consequences. He urged the public not to relent in giving adequate and proactive information to the Corps for prompt response.
