A 29-year-old housewife, Mary Simon, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly pouring a steaming pot of rice on her neighbour during an argument.
Simon, who lives at Block 6, Flat 3, Mopol 20 Barracks, Lagos, was arraigned on one count of assault.
The defendant allegedly assaulted her neighbour, Justina Yohana, after the latter beat her up.
The police prosecutor, Michael Unah, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 11, 2019, around 8pm.
Unah said Yohana had gone to the defendant’s house with a friend to demand the reason the defendant abused her while she (Yohana) passed by.
“The complainant beat up the defendant and out of anger, the defendant poured the rice she was cooking on the complainant.
“The incident caused grievous injuries on the complainant’s bum,” he said.
The charge read, “That you, Mary Simon, on April 11, 2019, around 8pm, at Block 6, Flat 3, Mopol 20 Barracks, Ikeja, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did pour boiling hot rice on the buttocks of one W/Inspector Justina Yohana by injuring her.”
According to the police prosecutor, the offence contravenes Section 173 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised) and attracts three years’ imprisonment upon conviction.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The presiding magistrate, Mr A.A. Fashola, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
Fashola ruled that the surety must be gainfully employed with evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
He added that the surety must be blood relations of the defendant and must live within the court’s jurisdiction.
The magistrate adjourned the case till May 22 for mention.
