MAN ARRAIGNED IN COURT FOR DEHUMANISING BROTHER’S WIFE AS GROUP PROTESTS AGAINST WIDOWHOOD PRACTICES IN ANAMBRA

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

One of the suspects involved in the dehumanizing of a widow in Atani Community, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State has been arraigned in court by the state government through the Nigeria Police.

The suspect, Albert Eligbue, who is the brother-in-law to the window, was arraigned before the State Children, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Court sitting at the Chief Magistrate Court Amawbia on a five-count charge.

The suspect and others were alleged to have forced the widow to drink water used in bathing her dead husband recently in the community.

When the charges were read and interpreted, the defendant, Albert Eligbue, pleaded not guilty of the charges and applied for bail.

The Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Genevieve Osakwe, stated that the court would consider bail application for the defendant since it was a bailable offence.

The defendant was later granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with a condition of providing a reliable surety in like sum and who must be either the traditional ruler, Prime Minister or President General of Atani Community, among other requirements.

In the meantime, the defendant was remanded in the Nigeria Correctional Centre Awka pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions while the case was adjourned until June 7, 2023 for hearing.

Meanwhile, some Women Human Rights Activists in Anambra state have expressed worry over the increasing number of unwholesome widowhood practices in the area.

They called on the government, security agencies and community leaders to rise up against such practices, which kept attracting global condemnation for the country.

The group staged a peaceful protest to the premises of the Anambra Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Court located in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area.

The protesters complained that the past two months had recorded violence against women and female child in some local government areas in Anambra State, including Ogbaru and Ihiala local Government Areas.

For instance, Mrs. Patricia Eligbue, a widow was forced to drink water used in bathing the corpse of her husband in Atani Community.

Also in Ogbaru Local government area, another woman from Umunankwor Community was dehumanized and sent out of the town over an allegation that she was seen in a dream bewitching a relative of hers who allegedly died later.

Apparently, these unwholesome practices prompted the Women Rights Activists to protest and condemn the acts they described as barbaric.

The women who gathered in their numbers carried placards with various inscriptions, including “Stop violence against women and girl child in Anambra State,” “Ogbaru men and women allow our windows some peace,” “Stop all obnoxious laws and harmful widowhood practices in the state,” among other write-ups.

The Spokesperson of the group, Ms. Hope Okoye, said the protest was a way to make the women’s voices heard and a clarion call on the local government areas to review the existing obnoxious traditions and expunge all forms of harmful practices against widows, women and girl child in the areas.

Ms. Okoye, who is the Chairperson of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAAP) in Anambra State, called on well meaning indigenes of the state to lend their voices in speaking against every form of ill-treatment meted against women.

She also urged the state government to, through its Sexual and and Gender Based Violence Court, protect the women by ensuring that justice is served on the perpetrators irrespective of their social status.

COV/NDEKE/CO.