A man identified as Gozie Abana has been accused of defiling an underage girl who lived in his house under his guardianship while his wife was pregnant in Imo State.
According to the allegation by the father of the 14-year-old victim, Chidi Arimnuta, her daughter had alleged that Abana had, between June and July 2023, defiled their daughter in his residence in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Arimnuta stated that Abana also barred the girl from speaking with her parents over the phone when the abnormal act was going on until the family came and took the girl away.
Punch Metro learnt from the father that upon hearing the daughter’s allegation, he (Arimnuta) took her child for a clinical test where the results proved that there was penetration.
It was gathered from the traumatised family that the alleged suspect had boasted that nothing would happen to him even if they reported the case to the authorities.
The family also said they were afraid of going to the police to report as they doubted if justice would be served saying “the man is connected”.
They (family) are, however, seeking the help of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and non-governmental organisations to ensure that justice prevailed in the matter.
The father of the victim narrated “When my daughter saw us, she started crying and said she must go with them and that she would not go to that house. When she had explained everything to us, we knew that we had to go home with her that day.”
He was said to hav cooked up a story that their grandmother wanted to see his granddaughter and left.
According to him, that was when they ran a test at a hospital where it was confirmed that there was penetration
He also expressed dissatisfaction that when he called the suspect (Abana) to settle the matter, he avoided his calls, but later responded and warned him not to come near his house any more or else he’d call the police on him.
When Abana was contacted by The Punch on the allegations against him, he said, “That is a fat lie. It is an allegation, an unfounded one.”
Explaining his side, he said the girl was like a daughter that he took in and even took her on vacation.
“Even when she started misbehaving, we went to the school and talked to the principal regarding her misbehaviour. I was in a meeting when I got a call from my wife that the father said that he wanted to take the girl to see the grandmother.”
Abana then told our correspondent, “As a matter of fact, I will put a call across to my lawyer; maybe, we will trash it out in court.”
However, the father of the victim said he only wanted Abana to pay for what he had done to his daughter, which had left her severely traumatised.
