From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
There is tension in Issele-Azagba in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State where a suspected rapist threatened the father of his latest victim with gun.
The victim’s father, a farmer, had gone in search of the suspect after his daughter narrated her ordeal in the hands of her randy maternal uncle.
But on sighting him, the suspect brought out a gun and threatened to shoot him.
The swift intervention of the victim’s male siblings saved the situation as they wrestled the suspect down, dispossessing him of the weapon before he escaped being lynched.
Trouble started when the 15-year victim had gone out at about 9.pm in search of her brothers who went out of the house to buy some items.
On her way, she met the suspect identified as Tony, who offered to give her a ride on his motorcycle to facilitate the search.
Rather than take her to the appropriate places, he diverted to a popular guest house where he allegedly raped her.
According to the victim who is now receiving treatment at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Asaba Specialist Hospital, the suspect squeezed N5,000 into her hand after the act, and asked to wash the blood from her vaginal before she left at about 1.am
$he said: “I went to look for my brothers when uncle Tony met me and asked where I was going. I told him I was looking for my brothers who came out to buy something. He asked me to join him on his bike to trace them further. I know him and he was carrying gun, and so I joined him.
“Instead of going up small, he drove straight to the brother’s guest house around the market. I told him uncle this is not where you should bring me, allow me to go, my parents must be looking for me too.
“Nobody was sighted around when he brought me inside the guest house and was asking me if I was a virgin. I told him yes. He said I should not worry that he wants to have sex with me, that he would use two condoms together to penetrate well.
“I was crying and begging him to allow me go. He now turned my hands back and pushed me on the bed. He covered my mouth and forced me naked and started raping me.
“When he finished, I was bleeding and crying, he now brought water and asked me to wash up. He forced N5000 into my hand and asked me not to tell anybody. When I managed to get home, I told my daddy what uncle Tony did.”
On his part, the victim’s father, Ngozi Johnbest said rather than show remorse, the suspect was “bold to chase me with gun. Thank God for my two sons who were coming after me, they held him down, collected the gun and he escaped while being beaten.”
Johnbest said the gun was later taken to the palace of the Obi of Issele-Azagba, even he called for justice.
“I want this animal in human nature to pay for what he did to my innocent daughter. I have nobody, I am just a poor farmer struggling to take care of my children. I need justice for this little child Tony has just destroyed her life,” he insisted.
Chairman of Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee, Mrs. Kevwe Agas confirmed the incident, saying that proper medical, legal and security documentations would be made to prosecute the case.
She affirmed that justice would be served as deterrent to irresponsible men who prey on the vulnerability of the girl child to defile or rape her.