A retired Traffic Police Officer, Christopher Archibong has been arrested for allegedly raping a nine year-old-girl in Calabar, Cross River State capital. Our source hinted that the suspect was detained at Mbukpa Police Station in Calabar.
Mrs Peace Edem Okon, the mother of the victim said she had gone to the market and left instructions with the victim to wash the clothes of her siblings and upon her return she discovered that something foul had happened.
“When I got back, I discovered that my daughter wasn’t herself, all efforts to make her tell me what was wrong were futile. Then the younger ones told me that blood was coming out of her. I was surprised and thought she had started seeing her period.”
“It was when I bought pad and tried helping her fix it that I discovered it was mucus, and upon persuasion she told me what happened.”
The victim (names withheld) said the incident occurred on May 31, 2017 when her mother went to the market and left her with her siblings when the accused visited asking about the whereabouts of her father and mother whom she replied had gone out.
“So (he) told me to come and pick some firewood. So as I went to pick the firewood, he came and held me to the ground and climbed on me,” the victim alleged. She said she shouted and was going to tell her mother but the accused threatened that he will kill her and she will sleep and will not wake up.
The victim said when the mother came and saw her and asked what had happened, she was scared to speak-up as the accused had threatened that she would die and she only told her mother “because my mother wanted to die.”
Mrs Theresa Okpa of Basic Rights Council (BRCI), the law firm handling the case said that the family of the victim fears the case may be compromised, especially as the accused is a former Police officer.
She added that the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Commissioner are already involved and aware of the case as the organization will do all it can to make sure this particular case is not swept under the carpet.
The medical report Form D5 of the victim revealed that the child was defiled. As at press time, it was gathered that the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
When DAILY POST contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Igho on phone Thursday, she confirmed the story and said that the matter was transferred to the command and the suspect was at the state Police command. He said that upon conclusion of investigation, the matter will be charged to court.
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