By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The runaway Anambra lawyer, Mrs Adachukwu Okafor, who beat and burnt her 11-year-old housemaid at 3-3 area of Onitsha in Anambra State was on Wednesday remanded by the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting at the Chief Magistrate Court, Awka.

Recall that Okafor who is a Lawyer beat her house help for allegedly touching her child’s genitals before dropping her off totally bruised with her guardian, boasting she was a lawyer and would wangle her way out if caught.

Okafor had been accused of using sharp objects to injure the girl’s private part as well as using hot iron to injure her.

She had a day earlier appeared before the Anambra State commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare and had claimed that the girl only injured herself while trying to run away from being flogged.

Okafor was declared wanted by the minister of women’s affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, and a bounty of N2million placed on her head, before she later turned herself in at a police station in Awka.

She was on Wednesday arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, Awka on a-two count charge, mainly, wilful infliction of physical injuries on the body of one Happiness Nwafor an offence punishable under Section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 2017.

The charge was read and interpreted to the defendant to the satisfaction of the Court; and the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Application for bail on her behalf which was tendered by her lawyer, Chijioke Nwankwo was turned down by the court and the matter adjourned to 28^thFebruary 2024 for ruling.