A 22-year-old rape suspect, Raymond Isiodu, has been rearrested following protest over alleged compromise of the investigaton of his alleged defilement of 11-year-old girl in Obagi community, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State by the police.
A relation of the victim had in a petition to Rivers State Commissioner of police alleged compromise in the investigation of the case after the suspect was released on bail.
However, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko in a press statement said the suspect was rearrested in the early hours of Tuesday, October 17.
The Command also debunked earlier reports of compromise in handling of the case by operatives of police station,in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local Government Area where the matter was first reported.
“The Rivers State Police Command wishes to clarify reports of alleged compromise of the case of alleged defilement of an eleven-year- old- girl (namewitheld) at Ogbogu,Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA in Rivers State by Obite Police Station.
“The suspect one Raymond Isiodu aged 22 year of Obagi Community in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni (ONELGA) was released to a reliable surety due to some unforseen circumstance after his arrest while investigation was ongoing.
“The suspect, who was supposed to report back to the station, fled after he was released to a reliable surety.
“Following serious manhunt launched for the suspect by the DPO and his operatives, the suspect was arrested this early morning,17th October,2023, and will be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department(SCIID), Port Harcourt for further investigation,” the police spokesperson said in the statement
One Benjamin Enyeoha, a native of Obuogu in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state had earlier accused operatives of Obite Police station of compromising the investigation of defilement of his 11-year- old niece by 22 years old Raymond.
Mr Enyeoha had told journalists that he came back from Port Harcourt and was told that the girl (my niece) was raped and one Raymond who raped her is in Police station at Obite.
“I rushed to Obite Police station at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers state .The girl was raped at Obuogu in ONELGA. The Police gave us Police extract. They precisely told us to go to Doctors Without Borders at Port Harcourt, and get a certificate, sexual violence certificate. We got the certificate, returned and gave it to them, while the boy was there.
But he said the police operatives at the station refused to take action and later released the suspect after two weeks without their knowledge.
Enyeoha further alleged that he went to the police station and requested that the case should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Port Harcourt, but the officers refused.
“I even told them to transfer it to Ahoada or Omoku Police station they refused.
“What they did is they started threatening me, even as we got there with the mother of the girl they pushed the mother of the girl, threatened her and pushed her at the back of the counter there. Some people that followed us started begging them, when they released her( mother of the girl) we left home.
“Within two weeks they released the suspect on bail without our knowledge. Because of that I got annoyed, I have to petition the State Commissioner of Police to come to my aid.
“The Doctor’s report stated that the victim was penetrated, that the victim has injuries on her libia. The Doctor’s report photocopy is with me while the original is with the Police.
“The incident happened August,2023 and the medical certificate in Doctor’s without border was issued to us on 14th August,2023.I am calling on the Police Commissioner to come to my aide because I need Justice, any time I go there the Police will threaten me. They have compromised”.
Our correspondent also sighted a petition written by Enyeoha to Commissioner of Police, Rivers state dated October 13th, which was received by the office of the Commissioner.
credit: PM News
