A 42-year-old renowned food vendor in Akure, Ondo State, Happiness Sunday, has been remanded at the Ondo Correctional Centre by an Akure Family Magistrates’ Court. This follows her arraignment in connection with the alleged disappearance of a four-year-old child, Jensita, who had been under her care.
Happiness, the owner of Chioma Restaurants in Akure, appeared in court alongside Nneka Onah, 23, the mother of the missing child. Both were charged with two counts of child stealing.
Police prosecutor, Martins Olowofeso, informed the court that the alleged crime occurred on February 7, 2025, along Hospital Road in Akure. Olowofeso claimed that the defendants were involved in the abduction of Jensita Sunday.
Reports indicate that the child’s mother had entrusted her daughter to the second defendant, Happiness, after repeated requests from her boss to care for the child. Happiness assured the mother that she would look after the girl properly.
However, after two weeks, Happiness allegedly approached the child’s father, Ifeanyi, at his workplace, claiming that he needed to return the child, without her consent. The charge against the defendants contravenes Section 371 of the Criminal Code Law, 2006.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendants at the correctional centre pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The defence lawyer for Happiness, Alex Olademehin, requested that his client be granted bail for medical reasons, noting that she had been in police custody for two weeks. Olademehin also mentioned that the second defendant had been operating her shop freely and without remorse before her court appearance.
Magistrate B.A. Alphonso ordered that Happiness be remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre. Meanwhile, the mother of the child, who has also been in police custody, was granted medical attention before being remanded. The magistrate instructed that the case file be forwarded to the police for further investigation.
The case has been adjourned until March 25, 2025, for mention.
Following the court’s order, it was reported that the police had closed the restaurant and arrested all its employees.
