A 23-year-old lady, Itunu Adepoju, has explained why she stole a three-day-old baby belonging to her friend, Monsurat Lateef, at Ogbere area of Ibadan.
Adepoju, who was arrested by the Oyo State Police Command during the week, spoke with The PUNCH, on Friday.
The suspect said she has been facing challenges since age 13 and was sexually abused, which she claimed affected her psyche.
Adepoju said she had been married to four men and had four pregnancies for them- Israel, Florence (deceased) and Mistura whom she gave birth to for her third husband.
“When I met with my current husband, I was impregnated and I told him that I didn’t want to take him to my parents because of my father’s attitude of belittling me before my suitors and they also changed towards me after meeting with him. He was fine with it and also told me that he would also not want his mother to know yet that he impregnated someone,” she said.
The suspect explained that she took Mistura to live with her parents until the day her mum called her to say that her dad had sent her packing. She stated further that she was asked to come to Ibadan to take her and on her way she was involved in an accident at the time she was also pregnant.
“I returned to Ajah, Lagos State, to treat myself and I was in the hospital for 10 days. However, after leaving the hospital, I noticed that I started bleeding and went for a test. I was delivered of the baby later but the baby didn’t survive because of internal injury I sustained during the accident.
“I could not tell my husband what happened and came to Ibadan to explain to my parents why I couldn’t pick Mistura. My husband called me and noted that I ought to have been delivered of the baby. I didn’t know what to tell him.
“On Ileya day, I called him to say that I had been delivered of a baby girl which the scan had earlier shown. He told me they want to arrange to come for the baby but I told him that my parents wouldn’t allow that and he should remember that I didn’t want him to meet my parents yet,” Adepoju explained.
She noted that despite her efforts to stop her husband’s family, the pressure they mounted on her was too much.
“My father also mounted pressure on me that I must leave his house with Mistura. I left alone in the morning for a clinic because my stomach disturbed me. Also, I had called my husband that I would bring his baby for him.
“I met with Mrs Lateef when I got to the clinic and told her that I needed to rent an apartment which I planned to move in with Mistura. I noticed she just gave birth and later met with her in the evening of Tuesday.
“On Wednesday, I planned to leave their house. However, I needed to use the PoS and while I was going there, my husband called me again lamenting about his baby and since I was with Mrs Lateef’s baby, I felt it was an opportunity for me to take the baby to my husband in Ikorodu, Lagos State which I did,” Adepoju said.
The suspect further explained that she did regret her actions, adding that she tried to return the baby but couldn’t under the watchful eyes of her mother-in-law.
