Activist: Sends Strong Message to Family’s On Defilement And Rape Victims, Caution Youths, Urges Delta State Police Command
Last two(2) weeks Monday afternoon, my attention was drawn to a case of dėfilėmênt(råpê), where an underage girl, who happens to be a senior secondary student(Name Withheld) in a school situated at Effurun, was defiled by one young man, süspėćted to be within the age of twenty(20). The said minor, whom was convinced by the süspėćt to visit him at his friend’s apartment immediately left from class after school hours, ignorantly conceding the idea. She narrated how the said süspėćt had süfföcätêd her, with his hands on her throat, forcefully dėfïlîng/råpíng her while she screamed for help. It was the next door neighbour who had heard her rescue call, forced into the apartment, then she ran out. A lady(Name Withheld), who had noticed her crying and at the same time, running while no one was pursuing her; approached then interrogated the minor, where she had told the sad ordeal, about how she was dėfilėd by an invited instrumentalist, whom had attended their church. She immediately called me and then, we invited her mother over.
After which, we sorted ways to apprehend the süspėćt but he got the informations before we arrived at the apartment. He was later caught by some youths in Ekpan that same day, while he was on the run. The mother immediately called my attention, while I called the ever ready Divisional Police Officer(DPO); CSP Aliyu Shaba, whom immediately sent men from the Police Division to the scene but before they got there, the mother had called me that she doesn’t want the Police involvement in the matter, that she has considered settlement. It was then I realized that she had considered an option for money or has been influenced by the youths over getting justice for her underage daughter. Before the Police got to the actual point, she had left with some unidentified youths in the community to an unknown location, hence she stopped picking calls and turned off her phone.
We had allowed the case sleep by, a week after the incident, as a video evidence surfaced, where the victim had made mention of her name, school and class. Through the Ekpan Divisional Police Station, we announced our presence at the vïćtîm’s school last week, to identify the vïćtîm with the help of the school management and we probed further to arrest her mother and a süspėćted Pastor, who had ensured that the case was settled, cutting off the Police. We proceeded to the apartment of the süspėćt but unfortunately, he had relocated, while the search for the Pastor and other youths, continued. Unfortunately for the råpė süspėćt, he was arrested two days ago, and has been under dėtėntíõn at the Ekpan Police Divisional Headquarters, until today, he was transferred to the Delta State Police Command, after which, the case will be charged to competent court of jurisdiction.
The habits of Parents going for round table settlement, to collect money from family or the råpê süspėćts should be condemned, hence, the Command should state it clearly, that offenses of dėfilėmênt and råpê are serious õffėnsês and as such, any form of withdrawal, whether is be with an affidavit from a court for withdrawal of case, either by the vïćtîm or the family members wouldn’t be tolerated and can lead to charging them for conspiracy, aiding and abating, with the süspėćts or family, which in turn can lead to their arrest and persecution. Dėfilėmênt and råpê are usually painful ordeal with horrible experiences, which often have deep and powerful emotional scars, that seem to last many many years after the event, leaving the girl child with emotional and psychological trauma and of which, no parents or wards should consider any form of settlements.
Meanwhile, community leaders and youths who are in the habit of cönnïvïng with both the råpê süspėćts and vïćtîm family for money bargains, should desist from such involvement, as dėfilėmênt and råpê are serious crïmêš, as they are not in the jurisdiction to hear such cases, otherwise it will indict any executive member caught in the acts.
Comrade Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen
National Coordinator,
“No Justice, No Peace Initiative.”
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