A 30-year-old man named Chinonso Nwaebonyi has been apprehended by security operatives in Awka, Anambra State capital, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl. Nwaebonyi, a native of the Izzi community in Ebonyi State, was taken into custody after the girl’s mother reported the incident to the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.
According to a statement issued by Chidimanyionwu, the media aide to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, the suspect initially denied the allegations but later confessed to committing the crime, albeit only once.
The seven-year-old girl revealed that she and her twin brother often played in the compound after their home during the holidays. It was during these play sessions that the suspect began to defile her. She stated that the abuse occurred about five times, always on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The girl’s mother became aware of the incident when she returned home from work and discovered that her daughter’s private region was swollen. Upon inquiry, the mother was briefed on what had been happening and promptly went to the next compound to complain to the guardians of the suspect. She then took her daughter to a pharmacy before visiting the ministry.
During interrogation, the suspect claimed that he never forced the girl to comply but only asked her to raise her clothes and lie down on the ground.
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The seven-year-old girl and her twin brother were born to their parents after 10 years of childlessness. As of the time of this report, the suspect has been handed over to the police for further questioning and prosecution in court.
It is worth noting that in 2015, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act was enacted in Anambra, outlawing all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, defilement, female circumcision, and forceful ejection. Offenders convicted under this act face life imprisonment or a maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and the type of violence committed. Several persons have been arrested in Anambra for offenses ranging from rape and defilement, with many cases currently pending in various courts awaiting prosecution.
