Sixty-year-old man identified as Victor Obilor-Elem has been arrested by the police for unlawfully having a carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old physically-challenged deaf and dumb girl in Rivers State.
Father of the victim, Mr. Eze Eleonu, who seeks justice, told journalists that, on Saturday, March 5, 2022, he came back from travel and noticed that the door to his room was open.
Eleonu disclosed that on entering his room, he saw the suspect stark naked sitting very close to his cripple daughter, who was also naked, and he immediately grabbed the said Victor before raising the alarm.
The girl’s father said the alarm he raised attracted neighbours to his compound, who helped in preventing the suspect from escaping before the arrival of OSPAC, a local vigilance group.
Eleonu said OSPAC members took him (Victor) to their office and later handed him over to the Police Division, in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He narrated: “I was coming back from Omagwa and alighting from a motorcycle in front of my compound, and I noticed that the door to my house was ajar which raised my suspicions.
“As I approached the room, I saw somebody who got up from a chair stark naked. I was able to recognise him immediately; his name is Victor Obilor Elem, one of my family’s brothers. I held him and I saw my daughter on the couch with her dress folded slightly above her breasts. So I had to start shouting, calling on people to come and see what Victor did to my daughter.
“We held him before OSPAC, a vigilance group, came and took him to their office. The man was transferred to the Ubima Police Division and, on Monday, the DCO came and gave me a doctor’s report to go to any government hospital and run a check. And when we went to a hospital, the doctor said there was penetration.”
The traumatised father has called for justice, urging that the matter be charged to court without further delay.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign has called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
A member of the group, Gladys Onyenwem, urged the police to tidy up the investigation with a view to arraigning the suspect in court.
