Comfort Asemota
An Owerri Chief Magistrate Court in Imo State has ordered the remand of 38-year-old businesswoman, Mrs. Juliet Igwe, at the Owerri Correctional Centre over allegations of grievous harm and attempted murder of her five-year-old maid, Onyinyechi.
According to court records, the suspect allegedly used candlelight to burn the child’s private parts and inflicted multiple injuries on her body. She also reportedly used boiling water to burn the child’s hands, causing severe physical trauma.
Mrs. Igwe was arraigned before Chief Magistrate B. U. Adikibe on a one-count charge of attempted murder, filed by the Imo State Police Command under the authority of the Commissioner of Police. The incident reportedly occurred on November 25, 2025, leaving the minor in critical condition.
Police prosecutors informed the court that the offence carries a possible life imprisonment, prompting the magistrate to declare that the court lacked jurisdiction to try the matter. Consequently, Mrs. Igwe was remanded in prison custody, and the case file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
Reports indicate that the child was allegedly left in critical condition for several days before being rescued by the Stand For Humanity Foundation, a human rights organization. Led by activist journalist Chidiebube Okeoma, the group facilitated the child’s immediate admission to the Imo State University Medical Centre, Owerri, where she is currently receiving medical care. The organization continues to advocate for Onyinyechi’s recovery and accountability in the case.
Speaking briefly to journalists after the hearing, Mrs. Igwe expressed regret over the incident, stating:
“I didn’t know that this child would be in such pains. I didn’t know. It is only God that will judge me. I don’t know what came over me. I have been crying and praying for God to heal Onyinyechi.”
The case has drawn widespread public attention and underscores ongoing concerns about child protection and domestic abuse in the region.
