A Chief Magistrate Court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Tuesday sentenced a 33-year-old woman, Moradeke Adeoti, to three years imprisonment for violating the state government’s ban on child hawking and abuse.

Adeoti was charged on November 29, 2024, with a single count of unlawfully involving an 11-year-old girl, Oyindamola Adeoti, in street hawking—an act classified as child abuse.

According to the charge, “On November 22, 2024, at Ado Ekiti, the defendant unlawfully engaged an 11-year-old girl in hawking goods along the street/highway, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 30(2) of the Child’s Right Law of Ekiti State 2019.”

During the trial, Bosede Oso, the defendant’s landlady, testified that the young girl—Moradeke’s cousin—was treated like a domestic slave. While Moradeke’s own children attended school, the victim was made to hawk items such as pepper and palm wine, even during school hours.

“We cautioned her several times, but she ignored us,” Oso said. “A man once volunteered to sponsor the girl’s education, but Moradeke turned him down. Then, on November 24, 2024, the girl had a motorcycle accident at the Omisanjana area while hawking. She was rushed to the hospital, and the case was later reported to the police.”

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Adesegun, presented one witness and submitted the defendant’s statement, the complainant’s account, and the girl’s hospital card as evidence.

Through her lawyer, Opeyemi Esan, the defendant pleaded for leniency, claiming she was unaware of the government's laws against child hawking during school hours.

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola noted that the defendant admitted to sending the girl to hawk in order to raise money for her schooling.

“The prosecution has proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt,” the Magistrate ruled. “The defendant is found guilty as charged.”

Moradeke Adeoti was consequently sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour, with an option of a ₦20,000 fine in place of the jail term.