BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A grandmother, Zainab Bello and a traditional female genital cutter, Rasaki Ogunbodede have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State by the Nigeria Police for allegedly carrying out Female Genital Mutilation on a two-year-old girl (name withheld).
The 54-year-old Bello, who is the paternal grandmother to the girl was accused of conspiring with Ogunbodede, a 51-year-old local circumciser and others at large to subject the girl to the unlawful genital mutilation act in Asipa, Oyo State.
The grandmother, a teacher in a school and resident of Ikotun, Lagos State, was said to have prevailed on the mother of the child to release the minor to accompany her for a party in Ijebu-Ode.
Unknown to the mother of the survivor, her mother-in-law was taking her daughter for genital mutilation.
The two alleged perpetrators have become the first persons to be arrested and arraigned in connection with FGM since former President Goodluck Jonathan signed a federal law banning the practice in Nigeria in May, 2015.
The law banning FGM is contained in the Violence Against Person (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) 2015.
When the duo were arraigned at the Family Court of the Magisterial District recently, the police preferred against them a two count-charge bothering on conspiracy to commit felony to wit Genital Mutilation and subjecting Farida to the unlawful practice.
A charge sheet obtained in court reads: “That you Rasaki Ogunbodede and Zainab Bello and others now at large, between 16th day of December 2021 and 17th day of December, 2021, at Sarumi Compound, Asipa, Oyo, in the Oyo Magisterial District triable in the Family Court Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: Genital Mutilation.
“That you (defendants) and others at large on the same date and place did unlawfully subject one girl (name withheld), aged 2-years to Genital Mutilation.”
The defendants were said to have committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000. They were also said to have contravened Section 26(2) of the Oyo State Childs Right Law, 2016.
Ogunbodede and Bello pleaded not guilty to the counts.
Presiding Magistrate, S.H. Adebisi granted the two defendants bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety each in the like sum. Adebisi said the sureties are to furnish the court with three years tax clearance and must swear to affidavit of means. The case was adjourned till March 28.
It was gathered that the survivor’s mother had reported the matter at the Oyo State Police CID at Iyaganku, Ibadan, before the defendants were arrested and arraigned through the joint support of Value Female Network, Ministry of Justice in Oyo State, Center For Population and Reproductive Health with the support of The UNFPA Nations Population Fund.
