From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Battered, bruised and dehumanised, a 14-year-old girl (names withheld) who was gang raped by seven hefty boys suspected to be cultists, has recounted her experience in the hands of the monsters in human skin.
The rape incident took place at Ogboli village in Issele-Uku, headquarter of Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
She was allegedly raped by the boys she referred to as her big brothers living in the same neighborhood in the community.
Narrating her ordeal to members of the Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee and Sexual Offences Unit of the Ministry of Justice, she said that she was lured by her big brother neighbour to the den where the seven boys took turns to rape her.
The suspects in the rape saga include one Aboy, Sunday, Michael, Abraham, Uche, Jungle and two others, all of whom are now at large.
According to her, mother of the prime suspect, Aboy, had threatened to deal with her over allegations that she was sleeping around with her husband.
She said that Aboy’s father had given her N500 after she ran errand for him the previous day, alleging that as soon as Aboy’s mother noticed the gesture, she pounced on her, snatched the money from her and accused her of sleeping with her dear husband.
Although, the victim’s mother had pleaded with the attacker to free her child, she nonetheless allegedly threatened to further deal with her.
“A day after, I was returning home from my auntie’s shop where I went to pick my younger brother around 7:00p.m, when Aboy blocked me and started interrogating me about what happened the previous day with his mother.
“As I was trying to explain, Aboy told me to take my brother home and come back so we could resolve the issue sitting, instead of standing.
“On returning, Aboy said that we should go to his friend’s house nearby and I followed him, trusting him as a big brother.
“On getting to the house there were two other boys in there, smoking. I pleaded with Aboy to quickly explain things to him so I could leave but he asked me to hold on a little.
“Then four other boys came into the room and the next thing Aboy did was to lock the door and put the music that was playing on the highest volume.
“He then asked me to pull my cloth. At this point I started pleading with him to allow me to go, but instead he slapped me and hit my head on the wall and forced me naked.
“That was when all the boys in the room started taking turns in raping me while the music was very loud that nobody could hear me screaming for help,” she said.
She said that there was a friend of theirs who they didn’t allow in because he was telling them that what they were doing was wrong.
“It was this their friend that helped me home after they were done. They opened the door for me to go with a theat to kill me if I ever mentioned their names,” she alleged.
But as she approached her house, she was in a pool of her own blood, forcing her mother to raise the alarm that attracted neighbours who rushed her to the hospital at about 12 midnight.
She was further referred to the Central Hospital, Asaba for comprehensive medical attention.
Meanwhile, Aboy’s father is said to be helping the police in tracking down his fleeing son and other culprits.
He is said to have since disowned his son, condemning the actions of his wife and son, stating that they had been a thorn in his flesh.
Sources said that he had earlier reported his son to the anti-cult outfit to arrest him and deal with him for being a cultist, saying that Aboy had severally threatened his life, calling him ‘a Jew man’.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Peter Mrakpor, SAN, has vowed that the state would stop at nothing to secure justice for the victim.
Mrakpor said that the state would ensure that the victim received proper medical attention, after which she would be rehabilitated outside the environment where the incident took place.
He advised every parent who faces a case of rape and defilement of their children to report and leave the rest for the government.
A member of the Child’s Rights Implementation Committee, Patrick Ochei who was detailed to follow up with the case, said that the committee would do everything within its capacity to prosecute the case to a logical end.
Ochei said that the committee would come up with programme on how the victim would be rehabilitated against post-rape trauma, adding that this is the time to show her love to aid emotional healing.
