Rent-a-baby beggar remanded for allegedly drugging infant to death

A rent-a-baby beggar, Hafsa Asirinka Ibrahim, has appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly drugging a baby to death.
The accused, 40, is facing a two-count charge of murder and conspiracy.
The plea of the accused was, however,  not taken.
The Magistrate, Mrs Helen Omisore, ordered that the accused be remanded at Ikoyi Prisons, pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The Prosecutor, Sergeant Edet Ekpo, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on November 15, 2016 about 9.46 p.m. at Balogun area of Lagos Island.
He alleged that the accused was in the business of taking babies from their mother for alms begging on the streets to pay them later.
“The accused will drug them to sleep throughout the day while begging for alms on the road.
“On the said date, the accused administered a sleeping drug on a nine-month-old Hassana Jemilo (now deceased) and did not know that he had given her an overdose.
“The baby did not wake up again as a result of the overdose,” he said.
The offences contravened Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015.
Further hearing in the case has been adjourned to May 16.