Police arrest woman for torturing 11-yr-old girl to death in Jos

The Plateau State Police Command on Thursday in Jos, confirmed that it has arrested and detained a female suspect, over alleged torture and killing of her maid.

The deceased maid was a minor identified as Margaret Joshua.

The police command’s spokesperson, DSP Alfred Alabo, while confirming the arrest said police investigation was in progress and that the suspect would soon be dragged to court.

It was gathered that the suspect who’s a resident of K-Vom, Jos South Local Government Area, reportedly immersed the deceased victim in hot water until her buttocks got burnt.

It was gathered that the deceased maid who’s from Kebbi State, was brought into Jos by a helper because of the insecurity in her community, to work as a maid in the home of the suspect.

It was also learnt that the suspect, who’s a mother of two children had promised to register the maid in a school, but refused to do so, rather, continued to beat the girl until she died.

It was gathered that small girl was made to sit in container filled with hot water which injured her buttocks and private part.

The coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Plateau State, Mrs Grace Pam, whose organization has been following up on the matter, told newsmen that the wounds on the body of the girl were indications that she had been subjected to series of beating during her stay with them.

“Our attention was called about the situation on Monday, by a staff of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), who said that an 11-year-old girl had been seriously beaten up and injured by her guardian.

“On getting to the hospital we saw several old and new scars, and injuries on her entire body. We were told that she was taken to Mandela hospital in K-Vom, but was referred to JUTH due to the severity of her wounds.

“When we met the suspect at the police station where she was initially detained, she claimed that the girl used to masturbate, and so she was beating her to serve as punishment to make her stop.

“She claimed she did not know what used to come over her each time she beat the girl because she quickly regrets it after the act.

“The suspect also claimed that the deceased fell into hot water after which she ran out of the house and did not return for almost 24 hours later,” she said.

Pam said that the NHRC however, learnt that one person saw the small girl on the street, and handed her over to the police at K-Vom.

She was thereafter hospitalized to receive medical attention and sadly gave up the ghost 24 hours later.

Mrs Kaneng John, who’s a neighbour to the suspect, told newsmen that the small girl had always been assaulted, and that the incident was not the first time.

John added that he fellow neighbours had on many occasions brought the issue to the awareness of Police, and was directed to return the little girl to her parents, but she declined until she reportedly terminated her life.