A Nigerian woman has been accused of enslaving a teenager in her home.
Afolake Adeniji, A Nigerian lady based in the United Kingdom, has appeared before the court for luring a teenager to come into the UK and enslaving her afterwards.
A UK court was told the 50-year-old lady had promised the victim 'free education' 14 years ago when she was only 13, subjugated her to menial work for over 10 years.
Mirror UK reported that Adeniji, who works at a job centre convinced the now 27-year-old lady to leave Nigeria and fly to London to live with her family, first at Beckton, east London, in 2003 and then in Chelmsford, Essex, promising her a good life.
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But she was exploited, forced to regimented life, waking up very early to take care of Adeniji's children and also doing other household chores for the rest of the day, which left her with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The victim said she could not have dinner until she had served Adeniji hers, and this happened daily, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Irshad Sheikh, the prosecutor told the juror “She was completely submissive to the defendant and her family and any confidence she had was lost and ebbed away.”
“Effectively that was what she was living – the life of domestic servitude. It soon became apparent that the woman had become miserable, had become extremely depressed, was having negative thoughts and suicidal ideas.”
However, Adeniji denied all the allegations of her allegedly facilitating the journey of the lady to the UK, just to enslave her and cause the teen to have post-traumatic stress disorder’.
Adeniji, showing evidence to the Southwark Crown Court, that the victim was only making up false stories.
“What I suggest is that [the teen] was brought here to this country to ‘help’ you and do the chores that she has mentioned.”, Sheikh stated.
Adeniji denied this claim saying "that is not correct", then Sheikh continued “And that is what she did, I would suggest.”
Adeniji responded “I do not need her to help me.
“Everything was already in place before she arrived.”
Adeniji told the jurors how she met the victim through her elder brother, while he was working at the home of her Father, a lawyer and her mother, who was employed in local government.
Adeniji denounced Sheikh’s claim which suggested the victim's brother was also a ‘houseboy’, instead describing him as ‘like a son to my parents’.
“He was part of the extended family,” she added.
Adeniji said the victim came to stay as part of her family after getting into the Uk from Nigeria.
She also stated the young lady had her own bedroom and got from bed whenever she wanted.
Adeniji said all chores were done on Saturdays with every member of the family assisting.
Adeniji said “My husband is an early riser, he will have hovered the stairs and cleaned the sitting room.
“By the time we woke up, whatever was left, washing the bathroom – it could be me, [or the alleged victim], it could be anybody – whatever was left we just took it because whatever needs to be done we just did it.”
Prior to her arrest in October 2014, Adeniji denied the accusations as untrue, insisting that the lady was part of a loving family and also given financial and emotional support.
Adeniji said there was no fight when the teenager eventually moved out of her place
“There was nothing. It was amicable when she left and she was coming back as she wished, not to help me.”
She added: “I didn’t need anybody to help me do chores and look after the children.
“All I did was just to help [her].”
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