Rapist pays N40,000 compensation to victim’s father

A 47-year old man, identified simply as Victor, has defiled a 14-year-old girl, Chinyere. But to ward off prosecution, the man has paid N40,000 as ‘compensation’ to the girl’s father, Mr Ogbonna, residing at Nissi area of Mowe in Obafemi- Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The rape, according to a witness, was confirmed by a medical certificate issued from Iyaniwura Health Centre, Mowe, stating that Chinyere was not only raped but deflowered as she was experiencing sex for the first time.
It was gathered that Ogbonna accepted the money from Victor last week to withdraw the matter from Mowe Police Divisional Headquarters as the police were preparing to take the case to court. A witness,
Angela Nnabugo, said she was the first person to suspect what happened to the girl.
She said: “It was raining heavily when Chinyere ran into my shop, sweating profusely. I could not understand that kind of heat on a day the weather was so cold, so I asked if she was sick, but she said no. “After that, I saw trickles of blood on her legs.
I asked her if any man did anything to her. Apparently because she was warned not to talk, Chinyere refused to tell me what happened. Nnabugo added that this prompted her to send for Chinyere’s mother, Mrs Ogbonna, who also threatened to deal with her if she refused to say the truth. She added: “The mother and I questioned her again and she told us the truth. She said Victor, who lives in next house, asked her to buy rice and bring it to his room upstairs.
When she entered Victor’s room, he threw her on the bed and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her. She said she was shouting but the rain did not allow her voice to be heard.” Having discovered that his sins had been uncovered, Victor, a construction worker with one of the leading construction firms, fled to Imedu Nla, a neighbouring community.
Nnabugo said: “The ‘Omonile’ at Imedu threatened to beat him on the street unless he reported himself to the police.” A police source at the Mowe police station confirmed the incident but said the parents of the girl had asked them to free Victor on the grounds that they had settled the matter. It was gathered that the settlement was N40,000, which Victor paid to the family.
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