- Female lawyers blow hot, vow to get justice for victims
BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Okoffia Ward, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Peter Nwaleke, has been arrested by the Police for allegedly assaulting his first wife, Njideka.
Nwaleke, according to the Police, beat his first wife and damaged her mouth with fist blows. He was said to have conspired with his second wife, Patience, to pounce on Njideka and her daughter and assaulted them over an allegation that Njideka instigated Nwaleke’s mother to demand money from him.
Narrating her ordeals, the pregnant victim said her family had been living in peace until 2015 when the home became polygamous after her husband, Nwaleke married Patience as a second wife.
She said her lower lip was brutally injured by her husband and Patience because her mother in-law, Mrs Martina Nwaleke, mother to the PDP chairman, requested for money for August meeting expenses from her son (Peter Nwaleke) and the second wife, adding that they accused her (Njideka) of instigating the request and beat her up.
Explaining that she has been suffering battery from her husband and the second wife, Njideka said, “Constant quarrels started since my husband married another wife in 2015. In the month of August, during the women’s meetings, my mother-in-law came to my room and made an appeal for financial support; I was able to give her only N1,000.
“She (Martina) went to my husband’s room where he was with the second wife and made the same financial appeal, so they felt I sent her. They came and started beating me. While my husband was beating me, my co-wife joined and even chopped off my lip. She also gave my eight-year-old daughter who came to rescue me from their hands a bite on her hand. I want justice. I am the lawfully wedded wife.
She (Patience) always brags that if she does anything to me, nothing will happen to her. I want justice for my little daughter who she injured on the hand.”
In an interview with Nwaleke’s mother, she disclosed that her son and his second wife battered Njideka and her daughter because she asked them (suspects) for money.
“I complained to my son that I hardly make financial contribution in the church whenever there are programmes due to hardship and requested for money from my son to enable me to pay dues in the August meeting. After my son had told me there was no money, I quietly left his room for outside. While I was discussing with Njideka, the first wife, Patience, ordered that I should leave the place which is close to her shop. Immediately, she began to push me, forcing me out of the place.
“When the first wife intervened to save me, surprisingly, my son, Peter, pounced on her with a handful of canes and beat her mercilessly. As if that was not enough, Patience joined the husband to beat her the more and even bit her on the lip. Government should please help me; if there is any way the constant quarrels and hostility in my son’s house could be stoped permanently, I will so much appreciate it,” the aged woman pleaded.
Meanwhile, the Police have dragged Peter Nwaleke to a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Nkwagu for alleged assault.
The Federation of Female Lawyers, Ebonyi State chapter has, therefore, pledged justice for the pregnant victim. The Vice Chairperson of the Federation, Sarah Chukwu, promised to follow the matter to a logical conclusion.
Chukwu, a lawyer, said, “The matter is already in court, though the Police charged only the second suspect, Peter Nwaleke, while the woman, being the second wife, has not yet been arrested. But we are working with the police to ensure that she is brought to book. She should appear in court to face her trial. The Federation of Female Lawyers, Ebonyi State Chapter, assures Mrs Njideka and the general public that justice shall be done in this case.”
