Septuagenarian-father bathes son with acid, says it’s in self-defence

A septuagenarian, Joseph Adetunji, who allegedly bathed his son’s face with acid, on Friday appeared before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

Arraigned with Adetunji, 78, was his son-in-law, Abayomi Balogun, 60, who allegedly conspired with him to commit the crime.

Both are being tried for conspiracy and assault causing grievous harm.

The two accused, according to the prosecutor, Uche Simeon, a police inspector, committed the offences on August 29, 2015 at 6.00 p.m. at 32 Road, A Close, Festac Town, Lagos.

He said the accused conspired and sprayed acid on the face of Adesoji Adetunji, son to the first accused (the septuagenarian) and brother-in-law to the second accused, following a family dispute.

“Your Worship, I do not know the kind of dispute that will make a father to disfigure his son in this manner, the son has gone totally blind,” he said.

The offences contravened Sections 172 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 172 stipulates three years imprisonment, while Section 411 prescribes two years for offenders.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The accused, a retired mechanical engineer, told the court that he sprayed his son with acid out of self-defence.

“My son, Adesoji, is the proverbial black sheep of the family, and on several occasions, he had attempted to kill me to take possession of his inheritance,” Mr. Adetunji said.

NAN also reports that the accused, who showed the court the scars of several stabbings by his son, said he had suffered in the hands of his son.

He told the court: “I have trained all my children to the best of my ability, I sent them to higher institutions, his brother is a lawyer and before the incident, he refused to work as he indulges in drinking alcohol.

“On the day in question, I was in my daughter’s house trying to help her and my son-in-law to repair their car.

“My son came to me and his sister’s husband with a broken bottle demanding money and in self-defence, I sprayed battery acid on him.”

The Magistrate, A. A. Adesanya, reprimanded the accused for taking laws into his hands, adding that he should have involved the police in resolving the matter.

“Seeing that three of the complainant’s siblings are here to testify to his unruly behaviours toward their father is an indication that things were really not going right between father and son.

“The police should have been involved before it degenerated to this,” he said.

Mr. Adesanya granted the two accused N100,000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case until March 14.

(NAN)