17-year-old houseboy, is battling for his life following burns sustained after his boss' wife poured hot water on him for coming back late from an errand.
Tragedy has befallen a 17-year-old houseboy, identified as Chidera who is now in a Lagos hospital battling with burns he sustained after his boss’ wife, Mrs. Angela Achilefu, poured hot water on him.
It was learnt that Mrs. Achilefu, poured hot water on the teenager who lives with the couple on Akinola Street, Gemade Estate, in the Ipaja area of the state, for coming back late from an errand she sent him on Thursday.
It was gathered that the woman had sent Chidera to open her cosmetics shops in the Egbeda and Gowon Estate areas for her sales girls around 8:am on the fateful day, giving him N100 as transport fare.
It was said that the boy trekked to the shop in Gowon Estate, a few miles from Egbeda, and did same while returning home because the fare was not enough. He was said to have arrived home at about 9am, which reportedly did not go down well with the woman.
Angered by the lateness, she reportedly took the boiling water she wanted to use to prepare tea and splashed it on Chidera.
Neigbours who saw the victim with the injury, reported the matter at the Gowon Estate Police Station, leading to Achilefu’s arrest, while the boy was rushed to a hospital in the area.
A resident, who identified himself only as Stephen, said the woman was released three hours after she was arrested. “The boy was in pain when somebody saw him and called other residents of the estate. They held the woman and alerted policemen, who arrested her. But surprisingly, the woman came back after three hours.”
Another neighbour, said, “Chidera was brought to Lagos about three years ago from Abia State, where the woman also hails from. But she is harsh on him. She said it was just small hot water in a tea cup she poured on him and that she did it out of anger.
She sent him to open her shops and gave him N100, instead of N200. From this street to the (Gemade) estate gate is N50 bike. From the gate to her first shop in Egbeda is another N50. What did she want him to do? So, he had to trek to the other shop in Gowon Estate and trek back home.”
