POLICE NAB 11 RAPE SUSPECTS IN ANAMBRA
REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Police Command in Anambra State has arrested eleven suspects involved in various cases of rape and defilement reported in the last one week.
This followed an obscene video clip that went viral on July 11, 2023 showing a young lady (19 years) being gang raped by a group of boys.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, said investigation revealed that the incident happened at Orama-etiti, Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
It stated that the police at Otuocha collaborated with the local vigilante in the area and arrested six suspects involved in the criminal act.
It gave the names of the susupects as Chinua Obikezie (17 years), Collins Ogbodo (19years), Ifeanyi Chijoke (17years), Abuchi Ikechukwu (17years), Ezenwa Afam (18 years), and Sunday Okafor (27 years).
The statement indicated that three other suspects implicated in the ignoble act are still at large.
According to the statement, during interrogation, all six suspects confessed to have taken part in the crime.
The statement said in a similar development that Police operatives at Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area while on patrol with the local vigilance group on July 8, 2023 arrested three suspects on alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl.
The suspects were Chimezie Odugwu (21years), Nnamdi Anodebe (19 years) and Jude Onua (48 years).
The statement said from the confession of the suspects, they found the victim wandering at Abagana Junction before Chimezie lured her to Nnamdi’s house in the same locality and both had carnal knowledge of her.
According to the statement, the girl left the suspect’s house in tears and the elderly suspect, Jude, in the pretext of sheltering her, brought her to his house and raped her before she was rescued by the Police and Vigilantes.
In a related development, the statement said police operatives from Ekwulobia Division arrested one Chinenye Ezemehege (41 years) in connection to the case of defilement of a 13-year-old girl.
It noted that the suspect, who claimed to be a security guard at the market confessed to the act and stated that he had been paying the girl between #500 and #1000 for her “services.
The statement pointed out that preliminary information revealed that the parents of the girl normally sent her to fetch firewood at the Ekwulobia Market before she fell prey to the suspect.
Also, police operatives attached to Atani Division in Ogbaru local government area on 13/7/2023 arrested one Odimako Ikenga (38 years) from Ossomala Village, Ogbaru.
The suspect had been on the police wanted list in an ongoing investigation of a case of defilement of a 12-year-old girl reported to the Police Station on 28/8/2022.
The statement said Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aderemi Adeoye, commended the operatives and vigilantes for being alive to their responsibility to society.
The Police Commissioner in the statement expressed determination to tackle headlong the menace of sexual crimes and gender-based violence in the State.
It added that the Commissioner also directed that all the suspects indicted in the course of the investigation be arraigned in court without delay once investigation is concluded.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
