Okwoyi village, Isieke community in Umuahia North Local
Government Area of Abia State was thrown into shock and confusion as a
15-year-old Comfort Uche-Ume committed suicide after being ganged-raped.
The deceased, who just finished writing the “Junior WAEC” exam
was a native of Amaeke Abam in Arochukwu LGA of the state, was allegedly raped
by three boys; Ndubuisi Wogu, Chinaza Ufomadu, and Francis Onwoboro now on the
run, according to a source.
The source also said two of the culprits hail from Okwoyi while
the other is from Ikwuano LGA. Confirming the incident, the Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Onyeke said the police had declared the
suspected rapists wanted.
Onyeke told Southern City News that the victim who until her
death resided at Iyienyi village with her parents, had gone in the company of
her sister who was married at Okwoyi, a neighbouring village, to see her
(sister) husband. He said that as evening approached, the deceased opted to
return home to remove the clothes they spread outside to save them from getting
wet from the threatening rain.
But another source said the deceased decided to return home
because she was having the key to their house so that the parents who travelled
would not be stranded upon their return.
The PPRO said that as the deceased was trekking back to Iyienyi
village alone, she was allegedly accosted by Nwogu, who had been making
unsuccessful advances at her. He said Nwogu, assisted by two other accomplices,
dragged the victim to a nearby bush where they gang-raped her, threatening to
kill her if she raised any alarm.
Police said that when the sister of the deceased returned home,
she met her crying and after enquiries, Comfort narrated her ordeal to her. Irked
by the sexual assault on her sister, she was said to have informed her husband,
who quickly rushed to confront one of the suspects and engaged him in a
free-for-all.
According to the police, the victim was later brought to Umuahia
Central Police Station around 9pm by her parents to officially report the
matter. Onyeke said after lodging the complaint, the police first decided to
take the victim to the police clinic for examination and medical attention.
He said after she was examined and the police wanted to take her
statement, but the parents pleaded that they should be allowed to take her
home, promising to return the next morning since it was getting late so that
they could still get transport home. The incident, according to him, took place
Friday last week. “But instead of returning as they promised, the parents never
showed up. The mother of the deceased rather decided to scold her over the
incident.
“The mother mismanaged the situation. She said to her ‘Have I
not warned you not to go to Okwoyi village alone? Now three men have raped you
and if you become pregnant, who will be the father of the baby?’
“On Tuesday morning, the mother of the victim allegedly went to her
room again and started talking to her. She later invited her for the family’s
morning devotion, but she declined,”
The state police spokesman pointed out that when the family
began to hold their morning devotion about 20 minutes later, a shout was heard
outside the house and the family members rushed out. According to him, the
initial thinking of family members was that the rapists had come to attack her
again. But that was not to be as they were shocked to their marrows to see the
lifeless body of their daughter, who was reportedly seen leave her room with a
head tie/ veil across her shoulders, dangling on a guava tree beside their
house. She had committed suicide!
Police said the deceased might have decided to take her life out
of frustration and possible stigmatisation.
The PPRO, therefore, advised parents and guardians to exercise
caution when “they manage sensitive situations that might come their way,
especially the ones affecting their children or wards.”
He said, “Parents should avoid stigmatising their children, but
treat them with love anytime such unfortunate situation comes up.” Onyeke also
appealed to members of the public with any credible information about the
whereabouts of the alleged rapists to volunteer same to the nearest police
station for prompt action.
Meanwhile, a source at Okwoyi told our correspondent that the
villagers had begun a manhunt for the suspects. The source said hunters had
been mobilised to comb every nook and cranny of the village for their possible
arrest.
According to the source, the villagers are not taking the
incident lightly, vowing to stop at nothing in bringing the culprits to book. “This
is an abomination and we will make sure we fish them out of any hole they may
have run into,” the source said.
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