From Gyang Bere, Jos
Plateau State Police Command has arrested a Lebanese National, Kfouri Sleiman, for defiling over 10 teenage girls at Abattoir area of Giring, Jos, Plateau State.
It was gathered that two of the girls are pregnant and were taken to a police clinic for medical examination.
Police Public Relations Officer ASP Gabriel Ubah said in a press statement that the Command is investigating the alleged case of sexual molestation by the foreigner.
He said one Mrs Iboro Samuel, a resident of Abattoir, reported at the Abattoir Police Out-Station that her 14-year old daughter was sexually molested by the Lebanese, Kfouri Sleiman.
The said Lebanese was promptly arrested and brought to the police station. In the course of preliminary investigation, the victim denied that she was molested by the suspect.
‘As the news of the arrest of the suspect spread within the locality, other seven alleged victims of the same suspect – young girls between the ages of 12 to 16 years – came forward to testify of their encounter with the suspect on various occasions and how they were allegedly molested by him.
‘This led to some youths in the area taking laws into their hands and storming the residence of the suspect at the aforementioned address and that of his neighbor, another Lebanese named Elias Karka.’
The Chairperson of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Plateau State, Mrs Jennifer Yerima, and Deputy Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers, Plateau State, Bar Obioma Ngozi Achilehwu, staged a walk to the police headquarters, Jos to demand thorough prosecution of the suspect.
The NAWOJ and Women Lawyers Chairpersons, who led their members to the police headquarters, also requested for justice on the matter and urged parents to be conscious of what their children do at all times.
Mrs. Yerima said: ‘We came to the Police headquarters with International Federation of Women Lawyers in respect with a case of a Lebanese who have been taking advantage of some minors in the area.
‘Our investigation shows that the man has stayed in Plateau for about 13 years and most of the young girls are familiar with him, they come around to wash plates and doing menial jobs and gets stipends.
‘This man take advantage of the girls, he has raped them, he has finger some of them. One of the girls testified that when she was washing the plate, he will come and finger her with his hand and two of the girls are pregnant at the moment.’
She noted that Kfouri Sleiman, aged 61, who resident at B/55/12 Giring Road Abattoir, has taken advantage of so many young girls and said, as the voice of women, they will not allowed the matter to die but will follow it to logical conclusion.
Yerima urged the police to prosecute the foreigner to serve as deterrent to others who have similar intention.