JULIANA FRANCIS continues with the investigation on how Police Personnel truncate sexual violation cases that have to do with children, causing trauma, injustice. The first instalment can be read here.

I’m innocent of all allegations, says Wisdom
Wisdom, however, denied all the allegations levelled against him by Philip. He said that his only offence was assisting the widow after Philip accused her during a family meeting of being responsible for her husband’s death and demanded she should take an oath.

The prophet stated that [the older daughter] decided to lie against him because he flogged her for being wayward and returning late from school.

He said: “God knows I’m innocent and I’m following God’s instructions. There’s nothing hidden under the sun that can be hidden forever. Everything is happening because I flogged [the older daughter]. [The younger daughter] had already said it was a lie that Philip told her to lie. A clear conscience fears no accusation. Philip wanted to take the house from the widow and he had also tried to sell the house.”

Wisdom recounted that on a particular Friday, the girls’ mother called him twice, worried that [the older daughter] had not returned from school, while closing time was 1pm. She eventually returned at past 3pm.

He said: “By then she was no longer living with me. When she returned, I brought out a cane and asked her to tell us where she went. She mentioned going out with a guy and then mentioned a nurse and abortion pills. It was at that point that her mother got angry and doused her with pepper. She ran to her uncle, who coached her on what to say. Even the police at Ikotun Police Station knew the truth. I didn’t give the police any money. I have gone to Femi Falana Chambers and I know what he told me; he wanted to take up the case. My lawyer has sent details to him. People believe that men of God can’t pursue justice. If I do what Falana suggested…. But as Christians, these are some of the things we need to undergo. People are now using rape and defilement accusations to fight others. At least 75 per cent of people accused are innocent. Philip should bear it in mind that the wicked will never go unpunished.”

When our reporter asked why the case has not been charged to court, the Lagos State Police spokesman, Ajisebutu, said: “The suspect’s health deteriorated, hence he was granted bail on health grounds while investigation is ongoing. The case will be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.”

IPO Rebecca Jacob accused of changing charge
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There’s also the story of Ijeoma, who dragged her husband, Emmanuel, to the police after she discovered he made their nine and six-year-old daughters handle his manhood.

She said: “It was in 2020 that eldest daugther complained that her daddy used to touch her bumbum (buttocks), telling her that it was getting big. While Favour was telling me this, the youngest said yes, that was why they didn’t like playing with him. The youngest also said that he used to show them his bumbum and his front and that he would remove his towel.”

Ijeoma said that when she confronted her husband, Emmanuel he said that he was just playing with the children. She recollected how her husband used to insist on sleeping with the eldest daughter with her back to his front.

“I had to move {eldest daughter] to the ground to be sleeping with [the youngest daughter] and I.

Another day, I was in the kitchen, the way the apartment is partitioned, you can be in the kitchen and see what is happening through the door curtain. I saw him remove his towel, he was turgid and I saw Rejoice grabbing his manhood, I screamed and rushed in. I flogged Rejoice mercilessly that day, but if I could, it was him I should have flogged. He didn’t stop and the children continued to tell me.”

She finally reported the matter to Esther Child Rights Foundation. The case was taken to Human Rights Desk, Alabo Police Station and then transferred to Gender Unit, Police Command, Ikeja.

“Police asked me if there was penetration, I told them that I didn’t know because the children didn’t tell me anything like that. The police asked me what I wanted; I told them to charge the matter to court. They are my children and I have to protect them. I don’t want them to ask me questions in the future,” said Ijeoma.

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The distraught woman said that she knew there was trouble when the IPO, Rebecca Jacob, asked her if she had pictorial or video evidence of the act, and furthermore, if there was any eyewitness to prove that Emmanuel was culpable of the allegation. After that, the situation worsened.

Ogwu takes over the story: “On December 1 when they got to the station, the IPO, Rebecca, asked Ijeoma to go and raise money for COVID-19 test. I don’t know when or why a complainant has to pay for COVID-19 test. That’s why the matter was not charged to court. They said that she should also get N2,000 to beg the prison warders. I don’t understand why the warder should be begged. Ijeoma doesn’t even have money.”

The case was finally charged to Samuel Ilori Court on December 21.

“When the case was called, we were shocked that Rebecca Jacob, rather than present defilement, presented physical abuse. She also didn’t go to court with the medical report from Mirabel Centre. She told the magistrate that it was a minor case. We had to tell the magistrate that it was a case of defilement of two daughters by their father,” said Ogwu.

Ogwu explained that before the commencement of the court, Rebecca had mentioned that the accused, Emmanuel, tested positive to COVID-19, that they had started giving him drugs, and that after two weeks, they might have to go for another test and that the police wouldn’t be able to continue detaining him.

She said: “It was our organisation that paid for the COVID-19 test for the accused. I told her that we needed to carry out our own personal test in order to prove the authenticity of the result. When we asked for the result, she didn’t say anything. My heart bleeds for these children and their mum. I don’t know why police want to bury a case of defilement and turn it to physical abuse. The Police had the result from Mirabel Centre, but they didn’t present it to the court. Rebecca said that she didn’t bring it because she was not sure it was the children’s father that violated them, that it could be neighbours or at school, that there was no pictorial or video evidence of the father defiling his daughters. It has reached the point we no longer trust the police. God knows how many cases have been buried this way!”

Our reporter attempted to speak with Emmanuel, who is still in police custody, but the attempt was rebuffed by Ajisebutu, the Lagos State Police spokesman.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/for-bribes-police-truncate-defilement-rape-cases-deny-victims-justice-part-two/

They put their belly first before justice...