Mother jailed seven years for burying daughter alive

For burying her two-year-old daughter, Fathia Nafiu, alive for two days, an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court has sentenced an 18-year-old mother, Adeola Joseph, to six-year imprisonment with hard labour.

The court headed by Magistrate Olusola Aluko heard, on Wednesday, that Joseph buried her daughter on February 18, 2013, in a shallow grave at Ijetu, Osogbo, Osun State.

Police prosecutor, Solomon Olajide, told the court that a passerby, on Wednesday, found the baby in the grave, where the mother dumped her and covered her with broken bricks.

Joseph pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of attempted murder, murder and felony. She told the court that she decided to kill the baby because her parents did not approve of her marriage to Fathia’s father, adding that the baby would hinder her proposed relocation to Lagos for job search.

The police prosecutor said that the offences committed by the accused person were punishable under Section 249, 329(1), and 509 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 1, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.

Olajide told the court that a passerby, who was urinating near an uncompleted building, noticed a movement in the broken bricks and went nearer to have a look.

Alarmed by the image of the baby under the rubble, the passersby raised the alarm, causing people in the locality to gather at the scene of the crime.

Upon realising that the baby is the daughter of Joseph, residents went and brought her to the grave, where she confessed to have made futile attempts to kill the baby on a number of occasions.

She was subsequently taken to the police station while a neighbour, Mrs Tunrayo Akinwande, took the baby to a hospital.

The magistrate gave Joseph no option of fine.

-- Punch