A man identified as Arinze Obiwenite has been arrested for allegedly defiling his 12-year-old daughter.
Obiwente, who was also accused of using diabolic means to run a “healing” ministry, was arrested during a raid in his home in Abacha community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State upon a tipoff from a whistleblower.
The state commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, was said to lead the raid on the home of the accused, where the 12-year-old girl alongside her other siblings were rescued.
It was gathered that the suspect had locked up his children in the room for five years and was allegedly having carnal knowledge of the 12-year-old, while he fingers the younger ones.
The media assistant to the commissioner, Miss Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, disclosed these to journalists in a statement on Saturday.
According to her, the commissioner first paid a courtesy visit to the Traditional Ruler of Abacha community, Igwe Nwabunwanne Odiegwu, to notify the monarch before embarking on the mission.
She said, “It was during the visit to the monarch that it was revealed that the suspect had been parading himself as a Christian who gives solutions to people seeking for answers without knowing that he has other motives up his sleeves.
“The traditional ruler explained that the community got to know of the suspect’s escapades when he accused some young boys in the community of raping the daughter.
“The suspect was summoned to the palace on several occasions but failed to honour the royal invitation which made the youths of the community troop out en masse to his residence and on getting to his house, they discovered that he locked up his children including the 12-year-old.
“When questioned, the daughter revealed that the father locked them up in the room for five years and that he always had carnal knowledge of her while he fingers the younger ones.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect stated that he is married to 11 wives, but does not live with any of them at the moment.”
Speaking on the development, the traditional prime minister of the community, Chief Paul Omofia, explained that the youths had wanted to take laws into their hands by burning the man alive, after discovering his illicit acts, but the monarch intervened.
Omofia also noted that the incident happened a few weeks after their Ofala festival where they called on the gods of the land to expose any evil doer in the community.
The commissioner, after examining the children, vowed to ensure justice and also offer them a conducive environment for growth and proper care.
When interrogated, the suspects were said to have denied all the allegations levelled against him, but pleaded with the monarch to forgive him and help find a way of resolving the issue without going to court, a plea which the monarch blatantly refused.
Some items said to have been discovered at the suspect’s residence included a long list of paper where he wrote down names of those he has killed and will kill, a hollow grave at his backyard where he admitted he stays to make his incantations if need be and some native medicines which he said were also diabolic.
He was also made to break the oath binding him and his three wives during the period of their marriages.
According to the statement, the suspect has been arrested by the police and transferred to the state criminal investigative department in Awka.
He was arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate court in Awka on March 23, where he was remanded at the Correctional Centre Amawbia, while the daughter has been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical examination and possible treatment.
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