A tricycle(keke) operator from Umuoba Awaka in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, John Nwoke, was, weekend, reported to have allegedly raped a 12 year-old girl, Ezinne Amanfo who resides in Egbu near Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The incident which had received a lot of condemnation from the people of the area was said to have been reported to the Egbu station of the Imo State Security Network, a vigilante outfit and later transferred to the police for proper investigation.
Our reporter learnt that the victim, a primary five pupil of Owerri City School, whose mother is late also sells sachet (pure) water. Her father is also a wheel barrow pusher in the market.
The victim, who hailed from Oguta LGA of the state, was said to have been lured by the 24 year-old tricyclist with the sum of N200 to buy food, when she was persuaded to board the keke to go home after the day’s business at Relief Market.
Narrating her ordeal in the hands of the rapist to 247ureports.com, the victim who had been serially raped by others in past at Relief Market where she sells pure water, explained that the accused lured her with the sum of N200 to buy food and ice cream when she was trekking home because she had no money to board the keke.
She said Nwoke who would not carry another passenger went to Umuofor village suddenly drove towards Otamiri River and that when she protested, he said he was going to carry two other people.
She said he stopped and before she knew what was happening, he had removed her clothes and over powered her.
“When I was returning from the market he asked me where I was going to I told him Umuofor but did not have money. He told me to enter and asked me if I had eaten I said no. he gave me N200 to buy food and ice cream. He carried me to Umuofor but started driving towards Otamiri River. When I protested, he told me not to worry and that he was going to carry two other people. He stopped and held me, but before I could understand what was happening, he quickly pulled off his trousers and brought out his penis and robbed it with spittle. He pushed me to the back seat of his keke and fell on top of me.
“I told him to get off me but he refused and I started crying and shouting until some people came and held him.”
247ureports.com further learnt that the victim had no blood stains and when asked if that was the first time Nwoke was raping her she said yes but disclosed that one of the men selling pure water to her at Relief Market first did it in the past.
One of the men who reported the case to the vigilante, Mr. Ugochukwu Ogoma(aka Target) expressed shock that a full blooded young man would indulge in the evil act of defiling a little girl, wondered why such immoral act should be committed against such a minor, calling on relevant security agencies in the country to come to the aid of the girl and family, so that, appropriate punishment could be meted out on the culprits.
When asked to state his claim on the matter, the culprit, John Nwoke, simply attributed his action to the devil and pleaded for forgiveness.
One of the villagers who did not mention his name told our reporter that going by the statement of the victim, the suspect must have taken inspiration from the first rapist at the market.
“It must have been that the first people who raped her had told this man how successful they were that’s why he went to try his own”.
When 247ureports.com contacted Mr. Andrew Enwerem, spokesman of the Imo State Police command, for more details on the matter, he said the matter had not come to his notice and promise to report back.
