A housewife, Nneaka Anumudu, was on Thursday docked before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja for allegedly feeding her five-year-old foster daughter human faeces.
The police charged the defendant with cruelty to a child and voluntarily causing grievous hurt without provocation.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against her.
The prosecuting counsel, Okokon Mbruk, told the court that the complainant, Chukwuma Esther, reported the matter at Mabushi Divisional Police Headquarters.
Mbruk said that the case was later transferred to the State Command.
The prosecution told the court that the defendant, who is married to the five-year-old girl’s uncle, was entrusted to provide care and support to the minor following the death of the biological mother.
He alleged that in the process, without provocation, the defendant cruelly beat, tortured, and fed the minor with human faeces instead of food.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 238 and 247 of the Penal Code.
The defence counsel, Peter Okechukwu, made a bail application citing sections 158,162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) urging the court to grant it on liberal terms.
The Magistrate, Hafsat Amiru, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties, one of which must be a civil servant.
Amiru ordered that the sureties must produce appointment and promotion letter, current utility bill and means of identification.
She adjourned the matter until September 10 for hearing.
