Mother Jailed Five Years For Throwing Baby Inside River

A 30–year old mother, Yidiat Bakare, has been sentence to five years in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for throwing her three-month-old baby into a river in Ifon-Osun community, Osun State.

Yidiat was said to have thrown the baby into the river to express her grievance following a disagreement with her husband, Amodu Bakare. According to the charge sheet obtained on Friday by punch metro correspondence, the offence was committed on January 10, 2013 at about 4pm.

The woman, who pleaded guilty to the offence when the charge was read on her, urged the Court to temper justice with mercy.

Police prosecutor, Mr. Oladoye Joshua, said her behavior resulted in the death of the baby, stressing that the offense was punishable under section 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, and Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003.

Yidiat’s lawyer, Mr Jimoh Daramola, urged the court to be lenient in its judgment, describing the incident as a personal tragedy to the mother. After listening to the position of the prosecution and defense counsel, Magistrate Olusola Aluko found Yidiat guilty.The Magistrate described the crime as unacceptable and heinous.

Aluko said, “People should exhibit restraint during disputes; It is always good to seek amicable resolution of conflicts at all times. “The baby sent to the early grave does not know if the parent is quarrelling or not. This crime is unacceptable and heinous.”

He thus sentence Yidiat to five years in prison with hard labour without an option of fine.

Source: The Pouch.