A Woman Bags Six-year Jail Term for Burying her Child Alive

A Magistrate's Court in Osogbo on Wednesday sentenced a mother of
one, Mrs. Adeola Joseph, 18, to a six-year imprisonment with hard
labour for burying her only child alive for three days, Vanguard
reports.
The court, presided over by Mr. Olusola Aluko, in its ruling, said the
convict was unrepentant of her cruel action and hence, did not deserve
to be in the midst of human beings.
Mrs. Joseph was said to have buried alive her only child, Fatia Nafiu,
at her residence in Ijetu area, off Ilesa -Osogbo Road, Osogbo, in
Osun state.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Mr. Solomon Oladele, Mrs. Joseph
buried her child in the early hours of Monday, February 18, 2012 and
the child was rescued after two days by a good Samaritan, Prophetess
Tunrayo Akinwande, who lives around the area.
Oladele said the intervention of Prophetess Akinwande and other
residents of the area, who exhumed Fatia from the grave and took her
to the hospital, helped to save the innocent two- year-old baby who
was still alive after two days in the grave.
According to the Prosecutor, the convict had through her actions
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under sections 320 (1)
and 509 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol 11, Laws of Osun state of
Nigeria 2003.
The convict, who was arraigned on a three -count charge of attempted
murder, felony and breach of peace pleaded for leniency.
She told the court that her parents were not favourably disposed to
her marriage with the father of her child and she had since been
living alone without assistance, hence her resolve to terminate the
life of the toddler.
The convict also told the court that she decided to kill the baby due
to her decision to relocate to Lagos in search of a job, without
adding the child's responsibility to her own.
It was gathered that the convict had made several attempts to kill the
child before until her last attempt, which landed her in jail.