From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

An Indian national (names withheld) has been arrested by operatives of Delta State Police Command for allegedly raping a 17-year-old school leaver in Asaba, Delta State capital.

Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect yesterday, however, said it had not been ascertained if the Indian national committed the act. Edafe said the matter was being investigated to reveal if the suspect is culpable.

Daily Sun learnt that the victim had gone in search of a stop gap job after her secondary school education, and was employed as a cleaner at a company, along the Asaba-Onitsha road. A family source said the Indian boss called the victim, who is his niece, on Sunday morning, to assist him in cooking, which was part of her job schedule.

“On Sunday morning, one of the Indian bosses called my niece to come to the company to assist in going to the market and cooking, because they stayed in the lodge inside the company. My niece went there around 9am and we waited for her till 6pm without hearing from her. We tried her number and it was switched off.

Related News

“Around 7pm, the family members moved to the company and, on getting to the gate, the police officers guiding the Indian man refused us entry into the company, saying that our sister was not there. We left and reported the matter to the police, but the police asked us to go home and wait till Monday morning, so that the girl might come back.

“She called us in the morning and we quickly moved to the company, and on getting there, we saw police officers who earlier denied knowledge of my niece present, pushing her with her nakedness looking pale.

“My niece said when she came that Sunday morning, her boss offered her a drink, praising her for hard work. After drinking, she did not remember anything again until around 4am when she saw herself inside the wardrobe,” the source said.

He said the family, again, informed the police who stormed the company and arrested the Indian man whom they wanted to smuggle out of the company.