The Anambra State Police command has confirmed that it arrested and detained no fewer than 11 suspects in various cases of rape and defilement reported in the last week.
The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said the suspects were arrested across various localities in the state within the week.
Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye, has directed that all the suspects indicted in the course of the investigation be arraigned in court without delay once the investigation is concluded.
He said, “Anambra State Police Command has arrested and detained 11 suspects in various cases of rape and defilement reported in the last one week.
“On 11/7/2023 an obscene video clip that went viral showed a young lady aged 19 years being gang raped by a group of boys. Investigation revealed that the incident happened at Orama-etiti, Anam.
“The police at Otuocha LGA collaborated with the local vigilantes in the area and arrested six suspects involved in the criminal act.
“They are Chinua Obikezie aged 17 years old, Collins Ogbodo age 19years, Ifeanyi Chijoke aged 17years old, Abuchi Ikechukwu aged 17years old, Ezenwa Afam aged 18 years, and Sunday Okafor aged 27 years.
“Three other suspects implicated in the ignoble act are still at large. During interrogation, all six suspects confessed to having taken part in the crime.”
He added that in a similar development the Police in the Abagana area, while on patrol with the local vigilantes on July 8, 2023, arrested three suspects on the allegation of rape of a 15-year-old girl.
“The suspects are Chimezie Odugwu ‘M’ 21 years old, Nnamdi Anodebe ‘M’ aged 19 years old, and Jude Onua 48 years old.
“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 raped her before she was rescued by the police and vigilantes.
“In a related development, police operatives from Ekwulobia Division arrested one Chinenye Ezemehege, aged 41 years in connection to the case of defilement of a 13-year-old girl.
“The suspect who claims to be a security guard at the market confessed to the act and stated that he had been paying the girl N500 to 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,” Ikenga added.
According to him, police operatives attached to Atani Division on 13/7/2023 arrested one Odimako Ikenga ‘M’ aged 38 years of Ossomala Village, Ogbaru LGA.
He said 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 28/8/2022.
He explained that the commissioner of police has commended police operatives and vigilantes for being alive to their responsibility to society.
“He expressed his determination to tackle headlong the menace of sexual crimes and gender-based violence in the State.
“He has vowed that there will be no hiding place for sexual predators especially those who prey on minors,” he added.
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