A police officer named Emmanuel has been arrested and imprisoned after allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl at his office at the Bori Area Command in Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State.
Emmanuel, who was assigned to the Bori Area Command, was alleged to have been arrested at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the State Police Command on the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu.
The teenager’s aunt, Love, told reporters in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday that she sent the child on an errand last Friday but was astonished when she did not come home that day, so she began seeking her out.
The teenager’s guardian claimed that the girl returned the next morning, Saturday, January 13, 2024, and when she was interrogated, she described how Emmanuel had held her that evening and defiled her in his office at the Bori Area Command until daylight.
She stated, “When she came back around 8 a.m. the following day, I asked her where she was coming from and where she slept last night.
“She told me that one police officer with two stars at the Area Command held her in his office at the Area Command, Bori, and raped her till daybreak.
“That he (the officer) threatened to shoot her if she shouted. So because of that, she kept quiet. So when she came back, I checked her as a mother and saw that somebody had touched her.”
Love stated that she immediately reported the event to the Bori Police Division and that the girl recognized the errant cop before being transported to the hospital by the Investigating Police Officer from the police division where the incident occurred.
She added, “They now took her to their (police) hospital. The doctor on duty confirmed that there was penetration.”
She revealed that Emmanuel’s colleagues transported him to the SCID in Port Harcourt, where he is currently incarcerated, while also demanding justice for the teenager.
“All I want is for this matter to be properly investigated because he (the policeman) is still denying. So I want justice to be served,” the girl’s distraught aunt said.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Watch and Development Centre, a rights organization that has been following up on the matter, has called for an independent and thorough inquiry into the event.
In a statement made accessible to reporters, the group’s Executive Director, Michael Gbarale, described the event as sad, saying the situation should not be pushed under the carpet in order to deter randy police.
The statement read, “We commend the Commissioner of Police for the arrest of the officer (Emmanuel) who allegedly defiled a 13-year-old girl and transferred the case to the SCIID for proper investigation.
“We demand an unbiased and thorough investigation into the incident with a view to ensuring that justice is served to all the parties concerned. We will closely monitor and follow the case to its logical conclusion.”
When contacted on Saturday evening, Grace Iringe-Koko, a spokesperson for the state police command, acknowledged the event and the officer’s detention but said the inquiry is still underway.
She stated, “The Emmanuel denied that nothing of the sort happened, but yes, I can confirm that he has been arrested and in custody. An investigation is ongoing to unravel what really happened, and the appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken if he is found culpable.”
