Mr. Victor Emmanuel, 45, who was arrested for having
sex with a 13-year-old girl and putting her in the family way, has insisted
that he did nothing wrong.
The suspect described the girl as his fiancée. According
to him, he was already planning to marry her and has gone as far as to give her
parents N20, 000 and some drinks as part of introduction and marriage rites.
Emmanuel was arrested by detectives attached to the Ajangbadi
Police Station after the victim’s school alerted them. The police said that the
suspect raped the girl and described her as a minor.
Emmanuel, an indigene of Imo State, said: “I didn’t
rape her! We are in a relationship. We’re even planning to get married. We have
been dating for eight months now. The girl’s parents know me. Yes, I know she’s
pregnant for me. I have accepted the pregnancy and I’m already taking care of her.”
He added: “I have started the marriage rites. In
fact, the girl’s parents had been collecting money from me. I have paid N20,
000 to them for introduction and to buy drinks. They have also asked me to
bring N100, 000, out of which I have paid N64, 000.”
Emmanuel said he was arrested after his supposed
father-in-law, called and told him that the girl’s school authority said the
victim was too young for sexual activities, let alone for pregnancy.
Emmanuel said: “The school authority said she was
too young. The school authority insisted that I should come to the school. When
I got to the school, I was arrested.”
The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant
Mary Ikumo, said that the victim’s parents claimed not to know or had ever set
eyes on Emmanuel.
According to Ikumo, the victim’s parents alleged
that their daughter, who is just in primary six, was raped by Emmanuel.
Ikumo said: “The mother of the victim was with us
yesterday. She said she didn’t know the suspect from Adam. The mother said that
the girl used to hawk plantain and the suspect was one of her customers. He
used to tip the girl N500 every time he buys plantain from her. One day, he
pulled her into his shop and raped her.”
Emmanuel, a tailor, insisted that the victim’s
parents consented to the relationship. “They are already addressing me as
husband,” said Emmanuel.
He further said: “I take good care of her, including
paying for her hospital bills. I go to her house at Ajangbadi every time. In
fact, the mother called me last week and brought some clothes to my shop to sew
for her. The woman told me that she would be travelling this week. She used to
bring food for me and sometimes drops the girl with me at my shop.
“If police go to their compound to make their
investigations, neighbours would tell them that I am her husband. I have also
been paying for her ante-natal. Yes, I once went with her to hospital for
ante-natal. On most ante-natal days, her mother would come over to collect
money from me.”
The matter, however, took a suspicious turn when
Emmanuel couldn’t tell his supposed wife’s school address, home address or her
parents’ names.
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