Family of raped girl petitions commissioner of police

The family of 17-year-old Jessica Aniche who was alleged to have been raped and killed for ritual purpose in Edo State have petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro.

The family is requesting for the removal of the investigation from the homicide department of the police, alleging plots to compromise the investigation.

The family also urged the CP to handover the investigation to another department.

Paula Aniche and Linda Nwosu, family members of the deceased, had through their lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa alleged that suspects in the investigations have been left as free men despite evidences pointing to the contrary

The dated June 15th 2022, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command read, “Miss Jessica Anicha a 17 years old girl, was Abducted against her will and murdered by one Nusa Abu, Rasheed, Deborah, Joy, around their house at the MTN mast, Road 5, Nosa Edugie Street, Benin for ritual purpose.

“To accentuate this fact, Nusa Abu is suspected to be an internet fraudster and he and the others mentioned above took the corpse of the deceased to the mortuary without contacting her family.

“That Nusa Abu and others have been giving incredible stories of how she died that do not add up.

“That our clients are not comfortable with the investigation of the Homicide Section and the IPO who has refused to arrest some of the culprits and follow some leads that will crack the murder of the innocent and promising girl. We wish to humbly urge you Sir to transfer this matter to another unit, in order to do Justice in this matter and bring the culprits to book.”

However, when contacted, a senior officer in the Homicide department who does not want his name mentioned said what is delaying the process is an autopsy report that is needed to confirm the cause of death.

“The main suspect, Nusa, was in detention for a month and we have to charge him to court so as we speak he is in Oko Prison. There is nothing to hide there, it is when the autopsy is conducted that the result will guide the investigation, and we cannot just arrest people without evidence,” he said.