The Imo State Government on Thursday filed a murder charge against 38- year- old Imo businesswoman, Juliet Igwe, for burning her maid’s private parts, immersing her two hands in a boiled water and scalding her bodies with candle wax.
Fidelis Igbo, Counsel to the State Government, made the disclosure before a Chief Magistrate in Owerri, B.U Adikaibe, when he announced appearance on behalf of the State Ministry of Justice.
Chidiebube Okeoma, a journalist and activist who assisted police to rescue the victim in Osina in Ideato North LGA of the State in December, through his NGO, Stand For Humanity Foundation, disclosed that the matter was called up on Thursday for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, following a failed arraignment in December over jurisdiction.
At the resumption of the matter, the counsel to the Ministry of Justice disclosed that the state had filed murder charges against the accused at the High Court sitting in Owerri.
Upon presenting the court documents filed at the High Court against the accused, the chief magistrate struck out the matter from her court, giving legal liberty for the arraignment in the High Court on February 26.
The chief magistrate had on the last adjourned date in December 2025 ordered the accused to be remanded in the Owerri Correctional Centre until the report of the DPP was ready.
The chief magistrate who said that the penalty for the crime was life imprisonment if convicted, disclosed that her court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Okeoma who produced the five year old girl in court on Thursday, told Journalists that his organization was working assiduously with the state government for the total recovery of the minor’s health and to ensure she gets justice.
He said that the wife of the governor, Chioma Uzodinma, who visited the minor at the hospital on Wednesday in Owerri, had assured that the victim will be fully rehabilitated and justice dispensed.
The five year old minor lost three fingers from the injuries inflicted on her by the accused.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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