A mechanic, identified simply as Ejike, has been accused of defiling the eight-year-old daughter of his neighbour at his residence on Abule Oke Street, in the Ayobo area of Lagos State.
It was gathered that the victim
and her mother were at home when the mother, while preparing to get something
outside, heard Ejike’s wife calling her daughter to assist her in doing some
domestic chores at their flat.
The victim’s mother said she did
not oppose her neighbour’s request, adding that her daughter was not just
assisting them in doing their domestic chores.
She, however, said things took
another turn when she returned and met her daughter crying.
The victim’s mother stated that
she asked her daughter why she was crying and she explained to her that Ejike
allegedly raped her.
The 34-year-old lady said, “I
live in the same compound with Ejike and his wife at Abule Oke in Ayobo in a
single room. I went to get something outside but before I left, Ejike’s wife
called my daughter to come and help her to wash plates and clean their kitchen.
“I did not object to it because
she used to help her to do such household chores and I never thought anything
was wrong with that. When I returned, I saw my daughter crying and I asked her
what happened.
“At first, she refused to tell
me. Later, she told me that Ejike touched her and she even said it was not the
first time he would do it. I was mad. She said he initially used to put his
finger into her private parts but on that day, he inserted his private parts
into her.”
The victim’s mother said the case
was reported at the Gowon Estate Police Station and Ejike was arrested, adding
that the suspect was subsequently released.
She explained that Ejike and his
wife had relocated to an unknown location, adding that the case was transferred
to the gender unit of the command.
She said, “After he returned from
the police station, the next thing was that he packed out of the area and till
now, I have not seen him or his wife. We went to Mirabel Centre at Ikeja and
the doctors confirmed that indeed, there was penetration into my daughter’s
private parts and that she has been wounded.
“What even now pains me most is
that the police officers at Ikeja were even supporting Ejike. They even
insulted me. The gender unit told me that the case is closed since I did not
come to them. I want justice for my daughter; she cannot walk very well again.”
Narrating her ordeal in the hands
of the suspect, the victim accused Ejike of raping her at their apartment,
adding that he threatened to kill her if she informed anyone about the illicit
action.
She said, “He would put his
finger into me (private parts). That day, he put something inside me (private
parts). I was crying and when he finished, he said that if I tell anyone, he
would kill me.”
The victim’s uncle showed our
correspondent the medical report which confirmed that the eight-year-girl was
defiled.
The uncle, while demanding
justice in the matter, said the victim’s mother informed him about the case,
adding that he was not happy with the decision of the police to release the
suspect.
“The gender unit released Ejike
after two weeks. We want justice for our girl,” he said.
Contacted, Ejike denied the
allegations and said the victim’s mother and his wife connived to frame him.
He said, “I did not (do) what I
was accused of. What happened was that I have issues with my wife who I did not
know had a child before I married her. When I confronted her, she begged me and
I forgave her.
“But she is a friend to the
victim’s mother and when I quarrelled with her, she told me that she would deal
with me. Last year, she was part of the people that said I raped that girl.
She has run away from my house.
She packed all my property and went away with my two children. I spent two
weeks in a police cell at Ikeja. They just want to ruin me.”
Contacted, the state Police
Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamine Hundeyin, said Ejike was released
because the victim’s mother, when asked to get the medical report of the
incident, did not return with the medical report.
Hundeyin said, “Indeed, it was
reported and the police swung into action. However, she was told to do a
medical report which the police would use as evidence on the matter but she
just went away with the child and after the man had been in detention for over
a month and nothing was heard from the woman, he was released. But since
there’s a medical report now, it will be handled.”
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