Detectives in the Gender Unit of State Criminal Investigation Department, Anambra State Police Command, have arrested three suspects in separate incidents of having unlawful carnal knowledge of minors.
The defilement cases, according to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, were reported in Eziowele, Oba and Ogidi Police Divisions.
He gave the names of the suspects as Ihechiluru Okorie, Chidubem Udem and Kalu Ilo.
The PPRO said that in the first case, detectives in Oba Division arrested Okorie on Tuesday, August 19, for defiling a 14-year-old girl.
The suspect, he stated, confessed to forcibly having carnal knowledge of the victim when she came to barb her hair in his shop.
The second suspect, Udem, was apprehended on Wednesday, August 13, by detectives attached to Eziowelle Division for the defilement of a five-year old girl.
Investigations revealed that the suspect, aged 28, visited the victim at her grandmother’s house where he sexually assaulted her.
Ikenga said that a case of defilement was established after medical examination by doctors in the hospital the victim was immediately taken to.
Also, the third suspect, Ilo, aged 30, was arrested on Thursday, August 28, by detectives from Ogidi Division for defiling a 13-year old mentally-challenged daughter of his neighbour in Nkpor.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly went to the victim’s house, where he forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of her,” the PPRO stated.
Saying that investigating unit had secured evidence for the suspects’ prosecution, SP Ikenga disclosed that they would be charged to court on Wednesday, September, 3.
Condemning the act in strong terms, the Commissioner of Police, Dr Ikioye Orutugu assured the public that the Command would ensure diligent prosecution to secure justice for the victims.
The police boss urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to be vigilant and promptly report any incidents of sexual or gender-based violence to the nearest Police Station, as the Command remains committed to protecting the rights of children and vulnerable persons across the state.
