10-yr-old house help says mother instructed her to steal from mistress

isaac dachen

October 22, 2015 2:29 PM

A 10-year-old girl who stole money from her mistress has confessed to a court that her mother instructed her to steal.

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A 10-year-old house help who allegedly stole the sum of N350, 000 from her mistress while she was working at the residence of one Raliat Opuoro at 21, Ajeniya Street in the Obalende area of Lagos State, has confessed to the police that it was her mother, Tope Hassan, instructed to steal the money.

The girl who was taken by her mother to Opuoro to work as a maid, allegedly told the police that her mother planned the theft and guided her on how to go about it.

“My mother took me to my madam to assist her because she was suffering from eye-sight related problems.

My mother instructed that anytime I come across my madam’s money, I should steal it and bring it to her.

So, anytime my madam drops a bag containing money in her room, I will steal it and hand it over to my mother.”

The girl who said she did not know how to steal before, added that her mother led her to commit the crime, promising never to indulge in such an act again.

The girl and her mother were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates' Court on two counts of stealing and receiving.

While the girl pleaded guilty to the theft charge, her mother pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to her.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. A. T. Omoyele, granted the mother bail in the sum of N10,000 while she ordered that the girl be remanded at the Children’s Correctional Centre at Idi-Araba, Surulere, Lagos.

isaac dachen