AISHA ABUBAKAR
A 30-year old woman, Mrs. Mercy Michael, has been arrested and charged in Kaduna State for allegedly feeding her 8-Month baby girl with rat poison and the baby died in the process.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 10th December, 2024, at Fadia Bakut, Zonkwa in Kafanchan area of Kaduna State, where they reside.
She has been charged before the Chief Magistrate Court in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, for the alleged murder.
The woman, Mercy Michael, was charged by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for culpable homicide, contrary to Section 189 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law.
The NSCDC prosecutor, Mr. Marcus Audu, informed the Court that on December 11, one Godfrey Sunday, a resident of Fadia Bakut, Zonkwa, reported the incident to the Corps’ office.
Prosecutor Audu stated that on 10th December, 2024, the woman allegedly fed her eight-month-old daughter with rat poison for reasons yet to be explained.
He explained that the baby was rushed to the General Hospital in Zonkwa but tragically died the following day because of the injury sustained due to the rat poison.
The prosecutor further noted that the case was initially reported to the Salama Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Kafanchan before being referred to NSCDC for investigation.
The Presiding judge, Mr. Samson Kwasu, did not take the plea of the defendant, citing a lack of jurisdiction and directed the prosecutor to forward the case file to the State Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till 17th December, 2024, for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
