18-year-old In Police Custody For Rape

A secondary school student, Sopuruchukwu Onuoha, was on Monday arrested by operatives of the Owerri Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly raping his neighbour (names withheld).

But the18-year-old, who hails from Ekwereazu in Ahiazu Mbaise Council Area of the state, denied the rape allegation.

However, the victim, who spoke to Southern City News on Tuesday, insisted that she was raped by Onuoha, who was her next-door neighbour.

She said the incident happened after her parents had gone to work.

She said, “We live at No. 5, Rotibi Street in Owerri in a two-storeyed building. We live on the first floor while Onuoha and his parents live on the second floor.

“However, my dad called me to bring mobile phone charger to him on the ground floor, but little did I know that Onuoha heard it. He entered and hid himself in our flat.

 “After giving the charger to my daddy and returned to our flat, Onuoha held me from the back, used his cloth to cover my mouth and forced himself on me.

“By the time he rose up from on top of me, blood started gushing out from my private parts and stained both my pants and dress. The only thing I succeeded in doing was biting him on his hand, which today stands for me as evidence.”

Crying, the victim stated that she immediately went down with the dress and reported to her returning mother, who through her husband alerted the police and Onuoha was arrested.

When our correspondent visited the police station, it was gathered from the medical report issued by the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri that the victim was indeed raped.

Meanwhile, police sources said investigation into the case had reached an advanced stage, adding that the matter would soon be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police command.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, however, said he was not aware of the matter.

Source: Punch