The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a deacon of Jesus Saves Church, a Lagos Pentecostal church, Obinna Aneke, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl, Ngozi (pseudonym).
Aneke, 44, allegedly slept with the victim six different times in his apartment on James Esu Street, in the Bariga area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the Udi, Enugu State indigene, and the victim’s parents were friends.
Ngozi’s mother, a food vendor, was said to have reached an agreement with Aneke to be leaving her two daughters with him pending their resumption time at school at 7.45am.
This was because she always left the house for her trade at 6am, while her husband, a security guard, also left for his place of work the same time.
It was learnt that one of Aneke’s three daughters attended the same school with Ngozi and her younger sister, which made the arrangement to work.
While Aneke’s wife, a trader, who equally left the house early for her shop was away, the suspect was alone with all the children as they prepared for school.
A police source at the command headquarters’ gender office explained that the suspect started using the opportunity to allegedly defile Ngozi.
He said:
“The girl’s mother had been good to him in the past. There was a time he didn’t have a job and it was the woman who fed his four children. So, since he had had his own job, the woman thought he would reciprocate by assisting her family to get her two daughters to school, along with one of his three daughters attending the same school.
“Unfortunately, the man took advantage of the seven-year-old. He would undress her and insert his manhood in her private parts. When he could not penetrate, he would apply his spittle to make it easier.”
He explained that the act went on till last Tuesday when he again raped the victim and afterwards threatened her not to tell anybody and if she did, he would kill her.
It was learnt that the girl opened up to her parents.
The matter was subsequently reported to policemen at the Bariga Police Division and the suspect was arrested.
It was learnt that the victim was taken to the Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where a test allegedly confirmed that there was a penetration.
The matter was subsequently transferred to the Gender Office, Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja.
The suspect, however, denied raping Ngozi, saying he only attempted to defile her once. He said when he could not penetrate, he suspended the action.
He said:
“This girl was taught to lie against me. I only attempted to have sex with her once and that was the day she told her parents. I didn’t even remove her pants. On that day, I shifted her pants sideways and wanted to penetrate, but when I saw it was not possible, I left her and ejaculated outside her private parts.
I am a leader in my church and I don’t want to bring my church into this mess. Even before anybody condemned me, I have already condemned myself and I wish I was not born. I was influenced by evil forces to do this.
I just want to beg for forgiveness from all those I have offended through this action and I just want to die.”
It was learnt that the Lagos State Government had already taken custody of the victim at the Heritage Home, in the Anthony area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, warned parents to be watchful so that their children would not fall victims of abuse.
She said:
“We will arraign the suspect at the conclusion of investigations. It is unfortunate that the scourge of rape is on the increase, but we are working to checkmate the activities of paedophiles in our society.”
