It was revealed that the suspect had locked up his children in a room for five years and was allegedly having carnal knowledge of the 12-year-old daughter while he sexually assaulted the younger ones. The media assistant to the commissioner, Miss Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, disclosed this to journalists in a statement on Saturday.

 

The commissioner first paid a courtesy visit to the Traditional Ruler of Abacha community, Igwe Nwabunwanne Odiegwu, to notify the monarch before embarking on the mission. During the visit to the monarch, it was revealed that the suspect had been parading himself as a Christian who gives solutions to people seeking answers without knowing that he had other motives up his sleeves.

The traditional ruler explained that the community got to know of the suspect’s escapades when he accused some young boys in the community of raping the daughter.

 

 

The suspect was summoned to the palace on several occasions but failed to honor the royal invitation, which made the youths of the community troop out en masse to his residence. On getting to his house, they discovered that he had locked up his children, including the 12-year-old daughter.

When questioned, the daughter revealed that the father locked them up in the room for five years, and he always had carnal knowledge of her while sexually assaulting the younger ones. Upon interrogation, the suspect stated that he is married to 11 wives but does not live with any of them at the moment.

Speaking on the development, the traditional prime minister of the community, Chief Paul Omofia, explained that the youths had wanted to take the law into their hands by burning the man alive after discovering his illicit acts, but the monarch intervened. Omofia also noted that the incident happened a few weeks after their Ofala festival where they called on the gods of the land to expose any evil doer in the community.

The commissioner, after examining the children, vowed to ensure justice and also offer them a conducive environment for growth and proper care. When interrogated, the suspect denied all the allegations leveled against him but pleaded with the monarch to forgive him and help find a way of resolving the issue without going to court, a plea which the monarch refused.

Some items said to have been discovered at the suspect’s residence included a long list of paper where he wrote down names of those he has killed and will kill, a hollow grave at his backyard where he admitted he stays to make his incantations if need be, and some native medicines, which he said were also diabolic. He was also made to break the oath binding him and his three wives during the period of their marriages.

The suspect has been arrested by the police and transferred to the state criminal investigative department in Awka. He was arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate court in Awka on March 23, where he was remanded at the Correctional Centre Amawbia, while the daughter has been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical examination and possible treatment.