A businesswoman, Temitope Blessing has been dragged before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, Ikorodu for allegedly bathing a Point-of-Sale operator, Bisola Kolawole, with hot soup over a failed transaction.
Trouble started, according to the Punch, when Blessing purchased data from Kolawole’s shop on Igboolomu Road, Isawo-Agric, in Ikorodu on March 1, 2022.
Unfortunately, she could not access the internet. The situation was said to have degenerated into a scuffle as Blessing allegedly tore Kolawole’s clothes and cut her gold chain.
Narrating her ordeal, Kolawole said she went to Blessing’s house to demand her missing chain when she bathed her with hot soup.
The Ogun State indigene said her breasts and chest peeled, adding that she was immediately rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital for treatment.
“Blessing sent her younger sister, Eniola, to buy N1,500 data from me on Sunday. When she got to my shop, she met my sales girl, Favour, who informed me about the transaction after she paid. I did the transaction and I was debited immediately,” she narrated.
“Blessing later called to inform me that she did not receive any data. Immediately, I called the customer care service to know what happened and I was told there was a network issue. I explained to Blessing when she called back and she said OK.
“Surprisingly, on Monday afternoon, she sent me a text message that she did not receive the data; I told her I was in the market. She insulted me on the phone and immediately dropped the call. My sales girl, Favour, called to inform me that she was trying to cause a problem at the shop.”
The 31-year-old said she instructed Favour to use the burglary-proof to lock herself in the shop, adding that Blessing returned to her shop the following day to seize her property.
“I was at the shop when she returned. When she started abusing me, I ignored her. Suddenly, she started packing my property, including my PoS machine, stapler, calculator, and I had to stop her.
“Immediately, she held my clothes, stripped me naked, cut my gold chain, and people separated us. I collected the PoS machine from her, but she left with other items. When I could not find my gold chain, I went to meet her at home to complain, but I met her cooking Egusi soup. She went inside, brought scissors and stabbed my hand.
“I advanced in her direction and people separated us. But we had poured part of the soup away. She suddenly carried the remaining hot soup and poured it on me. The soup burnt my chest and breasts and I was rushed to a hospital.
“The case was reported at the Owutu Police Station and policemen have arrested her. Her mother, who was not remorseful about what her daughter did to me, has been bragging that she would bail her,” she added.
Kolawole, while demanding justice, said she had been experiencing intense pain since the attack. She urged the police authorities to prosecute the suspect.
Blessings’ stepfather, Azeez Braimo, said Kolawole had overpowered Blessing when she poured the soup on her in self-defence.
She was cooking what her siblings would eat when the PoS operator came home to fight her. The PoS operator beat and overpowered her; they poured some of the soup away.
“It was the remaining soup that Blessing poured on her body. She should not have come to our house to attack her when the matter had initially been settled. We have been trying to appeal to the lady’s family but our efforts have been abortive. We even volunteered to pay the medical bills, but they declined.”
Blessing was dragged before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court on a one-count charge.
The charge sheet read: “That you Temitope Blessing ‘F’ on March 1, 2022, at Mosumola Bus stop, Igboolomu, Owutu, Ikorodu, Lagos State in the Ikorodu Magisterial District did unlawfully and grievously harm one Kolawole Abisola by pouring hot soup on her two breasts which cause her bodily harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 245 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015″.
The defendant pleaded not guilty, to the charge and after listening to oral application for bail of Blessing by her counsel, the trial Magistrate, T. A Shotobi granted bail in the sum of 200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed that the case had been charged to court.
“She was remanded in prison custody,” he added.
