The police in Anambra State have arrested 11 suspects involved in various crimes, including sexual assault and defilement in the last one week.
Spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, Ikenga Tochukwu, in a statement, yesterday, said six suspects were arrested after an obscene video clip went viral, showing a young lady,19, being gang-raped by a group of boys on July 11, 2023.
According to him, investigation revealed that the incident happened at Orama-etiti, Anam, where the police at Otuocha in collaboration with the local vigilante, arrested six suspects involved in the criminal act.
“The suspects are Chinua Obikezie, 17, Collins Ogbodo, 19, Ifeanyi Chijoke 17, Abuchi Ikechukwu, 17, Ezenwa Afam, 18, and Sunday Okafor, 27.
During interrogation, all six suspects confessed to having taken part in the crime,” he said.
Tochukwu said three other suspects implicated in the ignoble act are still at large.
Similarly, the police at Abagana, while on patrol with the local vigilante, on July 8, arrested three suspects on the allegation of sexually assaulting a 15-year old girl.
Tochukwu gave names of the suspects as: Chimezie Odugwu, 21, Nnamdi Anodebe, 19, and Jude Onua, 48.
He said: “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.
“She left the suspect’s house in tears and the elderly Jude on the pretext of sheltering her brought her to his house and sexually assaulted her before she was rescued by the police and vigilantes.
“In a related development, police operatives from Ekwulobia Division arrested one Chinenye Ezemehege, 41, for defiling a 13-year-old girl.
“The suspect, who claimed to be a security guard at the market, confessed to the act and said he had been paying the girl between N500 and N1, 000 for her service.
“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.”
Tochukwu also said police operatives attached to Atani Division on July 13, arrested one Odimako Ikenga, 38, of Ossomala Village, Ogbaru Local Council.
“The suspect 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 August 28, 2022, “he added.
Meanwhile, the state’s Commissioner of Police (CP) Aderemi Adeoye, has directed that all indicted suspects be arraigned in court without delay, once investigation is concluded.
Adeoye also expressed determination to tackle the menace of sexual crimes and gender-based violence in the state.
He said there would be no hiding place for sexual predators, especially those who prey on minors.
While decrying moral decay in society, the CP urged parents/guardians to pay more attention to their children.
