Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
No fewer than 11 rape suspects have been arrested and detained by the Police in Anambra State, Ikengaonline reports.
The suspects were arrested following their involvement in several rape and defilement cases within the last one week in the state.
According to the Anambra Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, in one of the cases, an obscene video clip that went viral showed a young lady aged 19 years being gang raped by a group of boys.
DSP Ikenga disclosed that investigation revealed that the incident happened at Orama-etiti, Anam and the Police at Otuocha collaborated with the local vigilante in the area and arrested six suspects involved in the criminal act.
He identified the suspects to include Chinua Obikezie aged 17 years old, Collins Ogbodo aged 19years, Ifeanyi Chijoke aged 17years old, Abuchi Ikechukwu aged 17years old, Ezenwa Afam aged 18 years, and Sunday Okafor aged 27 years.
He explained that three other suspects implicated in the act are still at large while during interrogation, all six suspects confessed to have taken part in the crime.
Also, Police at Abagana while on patrol with the local vigilante on 8th July, 2023 arrested three suspects on the allegation of rape of a 15-year-old girl.
According to a release by the PPRO DSP Ikenga, the suspects are Chimezie Odugwu 21 years old, Nnamdi Anodebe, aged 19 years old, and Jude Onua 48 years old.
The release disclosed that from the confession of the suspects, they found the victim wandering at Abagana junction before Chimezie lured her to Nnamdi’s house in the same locality and both had carnal knowledge of her and she left the suspect’s house in tears while the elderly Jude on the pretext of sheltering her brought her to his house and raped her before she was rescued by the Police and Vigilantes.
In a related development, Police Operatives from Ekwulobia Division have arrested one Chinenye Ezemehege aged 41 years in connection with the case of defilement of a 13-year-old girl.
According to the PPRO, the suspect who claim to be a Security Guard at the market confessed to the act and stated that he had been paying the girl #500 to #1000 for her “service.”
He said preliminary information revealed that the parents of the girl normally send her to get firewood at the Ekwulobia Market before she fell prey to the suspect.
Meanwhile, Police operatives attached to Atani Division have arrested one Odimako Ikenga aged 38 years of Ossomala Village, Ogbaru LGA who has been on the police wanted list in an ongoing investigation of a case of defilement of a 12-year-old girl reported to the Police Station on 28/8/2022.
He said the Commissioner of Police has commended Police operatives and vigilantes for being alive to their responsibility to society and expressed determination to tackle headlong the menace of sexual crimes and gender-based violence in the State, vowing that there will be no hiding place for sexual predators especially those who prey on minors.
The PPRO also said that the Commissioner has equally directed that all the suspects indicted in the course of the investigation be arraigned in court without delay once investigation is concluded.
