One Mr Albert Eligbue from Atani Ogbaru local government area has been arraigned before the Anambra state Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, Awka for allegedly forcing her sister-in-law to drink the water washed off the body of her late husband.
The widow, Mrs. Patricia Eligbue, was reportedly forced to drink the water used in washing the husband’s corpse to clear herself of allegations of killing him.
However, when the five-count charges were read and interpreted to the defendant, Mr. Eligbue, brother-in-law to the widow, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe granted him bail in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand naira with a provision that he brought forward reliable surety, in the like sum, who must either be the traditional ruler of Atani, the Onowu or the President-General of Atani community.
The defendant was remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Awka, and the case was adjourned to the 7th day of June, 2023, for hearing.
Meanwhile, a group of Women Rights Activists, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest to condemn the unwholesome widowhood practice of forcing a widow to drink the water used in washing the corpse of her dead husband at a community in Atani, Ọgbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Women who gathered in their numbers, before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court of Anambra State, sitting at the Chief Magistrate’s Court Awka, were seen holding placards with bold inscriptions, such as: “Stop Violence Against Women and Girls in Anambra State”, “Ọgbaru Men and Women, allow our Widows Some Peace”, Stop All Obnoxious Laws and Harmful Widowhood Practices in Anambra State”, among other inscriptions.
The Chairperson of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP), in Anambra State, Miss Hope Okoye said that the peaceful demonstration was a way to make the women’s voices heard, as well as, a clarion call on the Ọgbaru communities to review the existing obnoxious traditions and expunge all forms of harmful practices against women and widows in the areas.
Miss Okoye charged all well-meaning indigenes of Ọgbaru and indeed, Anambra State, both at home and in the diasporas, to lend their voices in speaking against every form of ill treatment against women and widows, not only in Ọgbaru communities, but also in all parts of the state.
She urged the Anambra State Government, through the state’s Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, to protect women and widows in the state.
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