A woman threw caution
to the winds in Imo State as she set her 85-year-old stepmother ablaze,
after splashing her two grandchildren with hot water.
The natives of Ndiokwu
Lorji, Aboh Mbaise area of the state, would not forget the fateful day
in a hurry as the devil, metaphorically, took control of one of them and
she caused tragedy within her own family.
People wept
uncontrollably at the sight of the old woman and the two kids who were
writhing in pains following the alleged action of the suspect. Gladys, 48, mother of many children, was said to have splashed hot water on Emeka Ukaegbu, 4, and Nzube Ukaegbu, 6.
It was gathered that the
children were viewing a film in the family parlour when Gladys appeared
with the hot water and before anybody knew what she was up to, she had
poured the hot water on the two kids. Their uncle, Chukwuma Ukaegbu, 32,
said in Lagos that the kids screamed as they were running out from the
parlour in agony.
Chukwuma said his
mother, 85-year-old Mary Ukaegbu, staggered as she ran to inquire what
had happened. The woman was shocked to see her grandchildren with their
body peeled . The children kept shouting the name Gladys to their
enraged grandmother who moved in haste to see Gladys. Upon sighting the
old woman, Gladys allegedly poured a substance suspected to be fuel on
her and immediately set her ablaze.
Mary, Emeka and Nzube
were rushed to the hospital but only the two kids were admitted while
hospitals rejected the old woman. Chukwuma said the incident began at
about 1.30pm, adding that his mother (Mary) gave up the ghost at 11 pm
same day, August 20. Chukwuma said the kids are still in hospital
receiving treatment as at the time of filing this report. He explained
that Emeka sustained injury from his head to the back.
He said Nzube was the
worst hit as his body peeled completely from head to toe. He said it
took some days before the eyes of Nzube could open. Chukwuma could not
fathom what could have been the cause of Gladys’ anger. According to
him, there used to be minor quarrel over sundry issues like “your goat
ate my leaves or yam.” He alleged that there was nothing very serious
that would have warranted such wicked act.
He further alleged that
his elder brother, Nnabuihe, told him that Gladys had several times
threatened that she would kill his (Nnabuihe’s) children, kill him
(Nnabuihe) and their mother, Mary. He said Nnabuihe waved her threat off
as one of those empty ones. They never knew evil thought was brewing in
the heart of the suspect until the fateful day.
Policemen from Aboh
Mbaise Division arrested Gladys the following day and later transferred
the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri,
Imo State. While Chukwuma insisted that the name of his half sister is
Gladys, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vitalis
Onugu, a deputy superintendent, while confirming the story said the name
police recorded in the file was Clarene.
Onugu said the suspect
had an altercation with the two children and as she wanted to pour
petrol on them, she allegedly poured it on the old woman, Mary, and she
went up in flames. Onugu also said the suspect later poured hot water on
the children. The police spokesman said the suspect would soon be
arraigned in court.
Source: Daily Sun
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