… Suspect Arrested, Arraigned and Remanded
A civil society and human rights organisation based in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, HURIDE, has aaided the Police in the arrest of one Emeka Chukwuani, who raped 23-year-old girl after he overpowered her, inflicting serious injuries and biting her body severally to subdue her eventually.
According to Sampson Oko Nweke, Chairman HURIDE Ebonyi State, on Saturday 28th November 2020, between 8:30pm and 9pm, HURIDE got a distress call informing that a young girl was being raped at Fatilami Park, Abakaliki.
He said immediately, they made emergency phone calls and contacted the Police who stormed the location and the rapist was arrested while trying to flee. He gave the name of the suspect as Emeka Chukwuani, a married man from Awgu, Enugu State, and he sales bicycles along Ezza Road, Abakaliki.
Sampson Oko Nweke further said that when they arrived the scene of the crime, they saw the victim crying with bruises, injuries and multiple bites all over her body. The girl reportedly received a dangerous hit on her mouth which left all her front teeth shaky, with blood stain everywhere.
The following conversation ensued between HURIDE and the victim, who managed to speak under difficulty:
Q: HURIDE: What is your name?
Victim: My name is Chinenye Nwizzi.
HURIDE: How old are you?
Rape Victim: I am 23years old.
HURIDE: Tell us what happened.
Rape Victim: I was going home with my younger sister. That was around 8pm. We saw this man on the way. He stopped and wanted to talk to us, but we continued to move. He followed us and snatched my phone and ran into Fatilami Park. We ran after him to give us our phone. Immediately we got to the photo stand, he grabbed my neck and we began to struggle.
As we struggled, he was biting me everywhere including my ear, my cheek, my shoulder, my back and somewhere close to my private part. My sister was shouting but nobody was there to help us. When my sister was trying to push him away from my body, he broke a bottle on her head and she ran outside crying while I was still shouting inside. It was when he hit my mouth with the bottle that I became somehow unconscious and I woke later to see he had raped me.
I was surprised when I heard gun shots and two persons came inside. He tried to run away but they apprehended him. That’s when I realized they were police officers. They saved me and my sister.
Meanwhile, since that Saturday of his arrest,” his wife and relatives have been calling and begging HURIDE to help them destroy justice. They had approached the father of the victim begging and threatening. They also tried to intimidate and threaten the girl. But within this period of threats and intimidation, HURIDE never forsook the victim. She had always been consoled and encouraged to remain strong.
“As this was happening, however, HURIDE had notified the National Human Rights Commission and other relevant CSOs in the State. They all, on team spirit as usual, became aware and got strongly involved in the matter.
“So, today, Tuesday 1st December 2020, amidst all distractions and persuasions, we persevered for justice and the suspect was finally arraigned in the state High Court and was subsequently remanded.
Sampson Oko Nweke
HURIDE Chairman, Ebonyi State.
