Man, 85, held for defiling seven-year-old

The Edo State Police Command has arrested an 85-year old man for allegedly defiling a seven-year old girl at Use, Ogida Quarters in Egor Local Government Area.

It was learnt that the incident, which was reported at the Ogida Police Division, had been transferred to the police headquarters for further investigation.

The mother of the victim, Endurance Ogieva, a rice hawker, alleged that she was offered N1 million by relatives of the suspect for the case to be withdrawn.

In a chat with reporters at the police station, Mrs. Ogieva said the act was committed at the home of the suspect, where she left her children with her sister.

She said blood and semen were found around her daughter’s private part when she caught the suspect standing naked over the girl.

Mrs Ogieva said: “I normally left my children with my sister when I went to hawk rice. After 30 minutes, I decided to check on my sick son. I met my son sleeping and my sister’s husband was also sleeping. His wife was inside the room. I did not see my daughter. I later heard her shouting. I traced the shout to the landlord’s room. The man is about 85 years old.

“I rushed there and saw the man naked. I gripped the man and both of us fell on the chair. The man was begging me to settle. But my shout attracted the neighbours. Other men who came said I wanted to collect money from the man. When they checked my daughter’s private part, they saw blood stains and semen. I went to the police station and the man was arrested.

“The police took my daughter to their clinic and said she had a tear in her private part. They gave me a paper to do four medical tests.

“My daughter said the landlord called the girl to buy local gin (ogogoro). My daughter said he held a knife and threatened her not to shout or he would kill her. It was the forceful penetration that made her to cry.

“The family of the man has been begging me to close the case. But I refused because the doctor said my child had to be checked to ascertain whether or not the man has a disease. We have not done any test yet. I don’t want any money. I want the government to help me because I don’t know if he has damaged my daughter. The child is too small for a man of 85. I don’t want his money. They are promising to give me N1 million, but I want justice from the government. My husband travelled yesterday and he said he would return today.”

The Coordinator of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Child Protection Network, Mrs Jennifer Ero, noted that the non-establishment of a family court in the state was responsible for the slow dispensation of justice in rape cases.

Mrs. Ero said the NGO would ensure that the case was charged to court.

Police spokesman Joseph Edogiawerie, a deputy superintendent of Police (DSP), said he had not received the details of the case.

- Leadership