Landlord's son damages tenant's eye for refusing to leave father's house

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It was gathered that Sanusi pounced on Balogun on Sunday, March 27, and pummelled her to a pulp, and in the process, damaging one of her eyes, after he had threatenedto kill her and her son if they failed to leave his father's house within a stipulated time.

According to Balogun, a trader, she was ill on that day that Sanusi manhandled her and was about entering her room on her way back from a hospital around 4pm, when he emerged and challenged her on why she had still not packed out of the house.

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Thereafter, the suspect pounced on her and shortly, his sister and the father, joined in beating the hapless woman. According to the four-months-old pregnant woman, the injuries she suffered would have been much if other tenants had not intervened and saved her.

The incident was reported at the Adeniji Adele Police Division and Sanusi was arrested.

Narrating her ordeal, Balogun said:

“The landlord gave us a notice to quit and always came to our apartment to bang the door, threatening to kill my son and me. As I came back from the hospital around 4pm on Sunday and sat in front of my shop, Tunde (Sanusi), the landlord’s son, approached and challenged me, saying I refused to quit the house after receiving the notice.

I told him to let my husband return. All of a sudden, he started abusing me. Before I knew what was happening, he gave me a fist blow in the eye. The landlord and another child of his joined Tunde to beat me up. It was my neighbours that rescued me.”

On his part, the suspect said it was Balogun that caused the fight, refuting the claim that his father and sister joined him to assault the woman.

"I was on my way to the bathroom on that day and she started abusing him. I also abused her. She attempted to hold my shirt and I pushed her.

Maybe as a result of that, she hit her eye on a grinding machine on the premises. I did not touch her; my daddy told me to leave her and he did not touch her either.

I only told her that her rent was due and that she should pack out from our house. She replied that I should do it myself. She held me and I pushed her. My sister did not beat her.”

During the trial, Sanusi pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge and elected summary trial. He was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum, and the case adjourned till May 11, 2016.