The police in Calabar have arrested a retired army captain, Bassey Ekanem, for allegedly defiling his four-year old niece.
The incident happened at Ekanem’s residence at 12, Edim Ibangha Street, Big Qua Town, Calabar.
According to a source, Ekanem, who is in his 60s, claimed he was under the influence of alcohol.
A neighbour, who pleaded to remain anonymous revealed that Ekanem, “had sent the woman living with him to the market; then he lured the small girl into his apartment and began fingering her and broke her hymen within the process.
“It was the victim’s younger brother who is about two years old who told their mother that grandpa put his hand inside her sister’s bum-bum before their mother raised the alarm and therefore the matter was reported to the police.”
The Principal Counsel, Basic Right Council Initiative, James Ibor, said, “This particular matter can’t be swept under the carpet and therefore the suspect must face the complete wrath of the law albeit they’re related.”
” This particular matter cannot be swept under the carpet and the suspect must face the full wrath of the law even though they are related, because in most cases when the case is gaining momentum, a lot of pressure starts coming in for the matter to become compromised especially when it has to do with a relative.
“He is now in police custody and we expect our officers to do a thorough job because this is one too many in the rape saga ravaging the country, it didn’t start today but it’s high time people started speaking up, rape is a serious crime.
“The suspect has confessed to the act and it is only the court that can determine whether he had the capacity to carry out the act as there are claims he was under the influence of alcohol at the time he committed the abominable act,” Ibor said.
The Police PR Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, said, “The man is in our custody. I won’t say much until we get the report on the incident.”
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