Police in Ondo state have arrested a 39-year-old food vendor, Esther Godwin, for allegedly pouring hot water on a nursing mother, Endurance Samuel, accusing her of sleeping with her husband.
The suspect, Esther, who following rumour of an illicit affair with her husband, invited the victim to her house in the Olofin community of Idanre in the Idanre Local Government Area of the state.
According to a source, the suspect called the victim on the phone around 10 am on the fateful day to come and collect the palm oil her husband, Sunday Godwin, was owing her.
The unsuspecting victim, Endurance, rushed to the house to collect the palm oil with her baby and was sitting expecting the victim to hand over the palm oil to her.
But to her surprise, the suspect, after taking the little baby from her victim, queried her relationship with her husband while Endurance denied that there was no relationship with her husband than working for the husband.
The suspect was said to have dashed inside the room only to come out with a hot water kettle and poured it on Endurance’s body.
It was gathered that the victim tried to run away from the suspect, but he was dragged into the house while Esther poured the whole hot water on her.
The victim was immediately rushed to the Health centre in the town but later referred to General Hospital, Alade Idanre, where she is still receiving treatment.
Speaking on her ordeal, Endurance explained that though she usually works on the suspect husband’s farm, said there was nothing between them than a master and labourer relationship, saying “no strings attached”
She explained, “Esther called me from where I was learning tailoring to come and collect the palm oil her husband is owing me because I also work as a labourer for some farmers in the town.
” I rushed out of my oga’s shop excitedly to the place, not knowing that the call was just to lure me to her own shop where she was selling food, to pour hot water on me for the offence I did not commit,”
It was, however, gathered that police from the state command arrested Esther, who is said to be nursing a month-old baby, and subsequently charged before the Magistrate court in Idanre and was remanded at the female correctional centre, Surulere, Ondo, till July 17, 2023.
The husband of the suspect, Sunday Godwin, who denied having any affair with Endurance, said he only engaged her as a labourer on his farm and said I was surprised with this development, and I have been paying for the victim’s treatment at the hospital since the incident happened.”
