By Ejire Folakunmi
An Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, on Thursday, sentenced a 37-year-old woman, Mariam Yusuf, to one year imprisonment for biting a man’s finger. The ruling follows an established legal process aimed at addressing physical assault within the state.
The Magistrate, Mrs. O.O. Fadairo, however, gave the convict an option of N150,000 fine. The court found the convict guilty as charged, stating that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. During the proceedings, it was established that the incident caused significant physical harm to the victim.
The prosecutor, ASP E.O. Adaraloye, told the court that the convict committed the offence on Feb. 23 at about 7:45 p.m. at No. 1, Isokan Olorunsogo St., in Iloye, Ota. Adaraloye said that following a misunderstanding between the two parties, the convict assaulted the complainant, Ezekiel Olatunji, by biting his third finger, which caused him permanent injury. The nature of the injury was described as severe, leading to the criminal charge of assault causing grievous harm.
According to the prosecution, the altercation escalated quickly, moving from a verbal disagreement to physical violence. The prompt intervention of the authorities led to the arrest of Yusuf and the subsequent filing of charges by the police. The court emphasized that such acts of violence are not tolerated in a civil society and that individuals must find lawful ways to resolve disputes rather than resorting to physical aggression.
The offence contravenes the provisions of Section 335 of the Criminal Law of Ogun State, 2006. Legal experts note that this section provides strict penalties for actions that result in permanent disfigurement or loss of bodily function.
By providing an option of a fine, the court balanced the need for punishment with the circumstances of the case. Following the sentencing, the convict was informed of her right to pay the N150,000 fine or serve the one-year jail term.