The police have vowed to investigate the case of Kelechukwu Orji, a 48-year-old British fugitive who fled the UK to Nigeria after being sentenced to 15 years for rape.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, said he will keep reporters updated on the situation.
Orji was found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, one act of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault by a Crown Court in Lewes, East Sussex, England, on November 22, 2023.
According to Premium Times, following Orji’s conviction, the trial court ordered a pre-sentence report to determine whether he posed a significant risk of serious injury if he committed other crimes.
Orji was allowed to settle his affairs before his sentencing and imprisonment, which were scheduled for the next day.
Orji, on the other hand, did not appear in court the next day, when it was revealed that he had fled England for Nigeria on the evening of November 22, 2023.
The victim, described as AB, a woman in her early twenties, arrived in the UK in September 2020 to work as a housekeeper for the criminal.
She was, however, subjected to sexual assault by the convict.
The court said, “The first occasion on which AB was raped (count 4) occurred when the offender came into her bedroom late at night. He pulled her from her bed and dragged her downstairs. He forced her into the living room, where he made her bend over. AB put up a struggle. Eventually, the offender was able to pull down her leggings. He held her from behind while he raped her vaginally. AB told him to stop. The offender ignored her. He ejaculated.
“The remaining counts reflected a single continuing incident. It began in the kitchen. The offender’s wife had gone to work. The offender asked AB to come and make him some food. When she came into the kitchen, the offender pressed her breasts over her clothing (count 8). He then grabbed hold of AB. He said that she had to let him have sex with her. She struggled and begged him not to do it. As he held her down, the offender digitally penetrated AB (count 9).
“Thereafter, the offender pulled her into the living room. AB repeatedly said, ‘Stop, I don’t want this.’ The offender ignored AB, who was struggling and trying to bite the offender. He held her down and raped her vaginally (count 10). He ejaculated inside her.
“AB had downloaded a recording app onto her telephone after the first incident of rape. She audio-recorded significant parts of this final incident.
“The offender had threatened AB that if she were to tell anybody about what had happened, she would not be safe in Nigeria when she returned home. AB did disclose something about what was happening to her boyfriend back in Nigeria. In October 2020, she contacted a support group for Nigerians in the United Kingdom. A member of the group contacted the police to say that they were concerned for the safety of AB. The address of the offender was given as the place where AB was living.”
