Rivers State Senior Magistrates’ Court, in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, granted bail to Francis Silas, who was remanded in a correctional facility for feeding his four-year-old daughter with her own excreta after battering her.

The 27-year-old, was dragged to court by the International Federation of Women Lawyers in Rivers State and was facing three counts bordering on child abuse and battery.

Prosecutor in the suit, Kenneth Ossisi, had earlier told the court that the offence of the accused was punishable under section 351, 241(2) and 249 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 37 Vol. II, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

Ossisi added that the offence was committed at the residence of the accused at No. 3, Railway Close, Diobu Line, Port Harcourt in December, 2019.

The charge reads, “That you, Francis Silas, on the 30th day of December, 2019, at No. 3, Railway Close, D/Line, Portrial District, did unlawfully step on the stomach of a baby below the age of five and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 351 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you, Francis Silas, on the same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did administer poison on one Happiness (f) who was below the age of five by forcing her to eat her faeces and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 241(2) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 37, Vol II, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you, Francis Silas, on the same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by feeding one Happiness with her faeces and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 249 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 37, Vol. II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.”

The presiding Senior Magistrate, John Enyindah, following an application filed by the counsel for the defendant, E. Essien, admitted bail to the accused with a surety and like sum of N100,000, who must be a property owner within the magisterial district of the court.

Enyindah added that the surety must depose to an affidavit, which must be submitted to the court alongside recent passport photographs.

He however adjourned the matter till February 3, 2020 for hearing.