Thirty-year-old Blessing Augustine, who hails from Kogi State but resides in Lugbe Zone 4, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has been accused of defiling the one-year-old daughter of his neighbour. While pretending to play with her, he allegedly poked his finger at different times into the baby girl’s genital and in the process broke her hymen. The alleged act of Augustine came to light when the baby’s father reported him to the police and he was arrested. The baby was taken to Gwarimpa General Hospital and Amaco Hospital, a private health facility, where doctors in both places confirmed that she was defiled.
Recounting how the deeds of the suspect were uncovered, Nnamdi Chukwu, father of the baby told Sunday Sun: “The ugly incident happened on June 13, 2015, when I heard my baby crying. I asked my wife to find out why the baby was crying. She said that Augustine told her that the little child saw a chicken and was frightened. But somehow the baby could not stop crying, which obviously meant that she was in pain. So, I checked her thoroughly and saw little blood in her private part (genital).
“Prior to this time, there was a day my wife was preparing for a birthday party and had gone into the bathroom to bathe. Augustine came quietly to our room and carried the baby without her knowledge. When she heard the baby crying, she asked Augustine, who responded that he was playing with the baby, so we didn’t suspect anything.
But on that June 13, when the baby continued to cry in pain, after Augustine claimed that the baby saw a chicken, I took her to Gwarimpa General Hospital, where a doctor examined her and confirmed that she was defiled.
I immediately reported the matter at Lugbe Police Station and Augustine was arrested. We have lived in the same compound with him for about one year. I want justice to be done.”
The suspect, who spoke with Sunday Sun in police custody, admitted that he had on several occasions taken the baby to his room to “play” with her, concurring with the account of the baby’s parent about the chicken story, but he denied the allegation made against him.
His words: “I do play with the little baby.
One day, she suddenly started crying and the mother asked me and I told her that the baby saw a chicken in the compound. I know always carry the baby from the room to the kitchen and play with her. I am the only person that always play with her. I do carry the baby sometimes without the knowledge of the mother to my room and play with her. “But I don’t know what they are saying that I raped the little baby.
I don’t know who fingered (defiled) the baby and raped her.”
(The Sun)
