Leaves her with soft drink, N1000, pledges new phone, N5000.
Mother cries for justice
BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
One Kelechi Opoke who aspired to be a lawmaker in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress has been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl.
Opoke who resides at Number 1, Omiko Street, opposite Haraca filling station, Abakaliki/ Enugu expressway was arrested on July 7, 2022 by men of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps in the state.
Opoke, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association was seen writing his statement of involvement in the alleged rape scandal at the Civil Defence Corps office, but effort to speak with him proved abortive.
Earlier, the victim, who narrated her ordeal said: “I’m 12 years old. I’m from Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State. Yesterday 6th July 2022, when I came back from school, I greeted everybody that were in the yard, I entered inside our house when one Kelechi Opoke who is a lawyer and a son of our landlady knocked on our door and asked me to plug his phone to charge in our room.
“I collected the phone and went inside to plug it, as soon as I plugged it and turned, he was already standing at my back. I asked him why he entered our room. He told me to shut up my mouth. He used his hands and closed my mouth, squeezed my hands to my back, tore my clothes including my pants and raped me.
“He gave me RC coke and N1000. He threatened that if I tell my Mum, he will kill me. And that if I didn’t tell my Mum, he will buy a phone for me and give me N5000 when he finished.
“My Mum contacted NCDC who came and arrested him but he started running and NCDC pursued him and arrested him” she stated.
Responding, the mother of the victim, Ukamaka Otah said: “I came back from the market yesterday; I saw my daughter sitting down on the ground and was crying, I asked her why she was crying. She didn’t talk to me but when I checked well, I saw her clothes torn including her pants, soaked with blood. I asked her whether she fought with someone, but she told me that it was Barrister Kelechi Opoke that raped her. I want justice for my daughter. He wants to use my daughter to renew his charm. What satisfaction did he seek in a minor like this if not for diabolic aims? I want justice. My daughter was raped in my own apartment, on my bed, I can’t take it.”
