A 30-year Native Doctor, Ikechukwu Nworie, was on Thursday remanded by an Ebonyi State Magistrate’s Court, sitting in Abakaliki, for allegedly raping a seven-year-old pupil, Ukamaka (surname withheld).
Nworie committed the crime on October 10, 2020 at Eka-Awoke community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Investigation revealed that the suspect had gone to the victim’s home, where she lives with her namesake, an elderly woman, to buy some food items.
On getting there, and noticing that no other person was around, he laid the little girl on the floor and had canal knowledge of her.
It was further gathered that the suspect threatened the victim with death if she disclosed to anyone what transpired between them.
However, luck ran out of him when the victim’s elder sister later discovered that blood was dripping out of the minor’s private part and immediately informed her mother, who later confronted the Native Doctor.
The victim’s mother eventually reported the matter to the police, after the suspect repeatedly denied the act.
Further findings revealed that the suspect had been in the habit of raping minors in the area, which often lead to his victims’ death afterwards.
A source revealed that sometime In 2015, the suspect raped a pupil, who later died of a strange illness.
Ukamaka when asked how it happened, simply said: “He put his fingers into my thing, before he put his thing into my own thing, again.”
Nworie was arraigned on one count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.
In his submission to the Court, the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Sabastine Alumona, said the offence was punishable under section 32 (2) of Ebonyi State Child Right and other Related Matters law, 2010.
While the Defense Counsel, F.M. Nwebo, applied to the court for the suspect to be granted bail, the Prosecuting Counsel opposed the application on the ground that the victim’s condition of health was not yet ascertained.
The Chief Magistrate, Nnenna Onuoha, stressed that the court lacked the powers to entertain the matter.
Onuoha ordered that the suspect be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Abakaliki, while his case file be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for necessary legal action.
Onuoha adjourned the matter to November 6, 2020 for report of compliance.