ALLEGED CULPRITS OF WIDOW OSTRACIZED FROM COMMUNITY ARRESTED AND ARRAIGNED IN COURT.
By Chidinma Ikeanyionwu
Alleged culprits of widow ostracized from Umunankwo community has been arrested and arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate court in Awka.
The arrest which took place in Awka was facilitated by the Anambra state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo.
This is coming after a video of a 53 year old widow from Umunankwo in Ogbaru local government area of the state made rounds on the internet.
The widow, Mrs Nneka Uzor, a caterer and a mother of two was banished from her community by her brothers and other relations who alleged her a witch.
Narrating her ordeal to the women and social welfare boss, Mrs Uzor explained that she started living in her parents house in Umunankwo 9 years ago after her husband’s death and since has been met with all kinds of abuse by her brothers and other family members.
She noted that this particular issue started when someone died in their neighborhood and she, like other members of the community was invited to the burial which made her to sleep over at their family compound but was surprised to be called upon around 5:30am the next morning by her uncle and brothers, Nnamdi Uzor, Lazarus Uzor and Anozie Uzor with masquerades.
The widow told the Women Affairs Commissioner that after she got dressed and was accompanied by everyone in attendance alongside the masquerade and was marshaled out of the community with her brothers and other relations warning her never to step foot in Umunankwo again.
The sister to the widow, Mrs Nkiru Ozor noted that it was Lazarus Uzor, the immediate past President General of the community that instigated the act while Nnamdi Uzor was the leader of the act as the said Nnamdi was the one who made the video making rounds on the internet.
Meanwhile, the suspects, a native of Umunankwo in Ọgbaru Local Government Area, who used masquerade to force a widow, Mrs. Nneka Uzor out of the community, was arraigned on a 5-count charge, before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, Awka.
When the charges were read and interpreted to the defendants, Messrs Lazarus Uzor, Anozie Uzor and Valentine Chukwuma Okwuosa, a brother to the widow; he pleaded not guilty of the charges.
Delivering a ruling on bail applicantion for the defendants, the presiding Chief Magistrate, His Worship Genevieve Osakwe stated that, since the offence was a bailable offence, the Court would consider bail applicantion for the defendant.
The defendants, Messrs Lazarus Uzor, Anozie Uzor and Valentine Chukwuma Okwuosa was granted bail in the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand naira and, that he must provide a reliable surety, in the like sum, who must be the traditional ruler of Umunankwo, the Parish priest of St Joseph’s catholic church Umunankwo or the President-General of the community, with two recent passport photographs, and a valid means of identification, among other requirements.
Reacting, the women and social welfare Commissioner, Obinabo expressed satisfaction with the decision of the court and promised to get justice for the widow and all Anambra widow going through such ill treatment.
The Commissioner went further to warn everyone to desist from any form of harmful traditional practices against widows in the state as such would not be tolerated stating that the government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has zero tolerance for such inhumane act.
