Operatives from the Ondo State Police Command have launched a manhunt for a middle-aged man who allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
The minor who was hawking ‘puff-puff’ was lured into an uncompleted building by the suspect where he forcefully defiled her.
It was gathered that the suspect, who hails from Kebbi State, went into hiding after allegedly committing the crime.
The mother of the victim, Madam Joy, who demanded justice, explained that the incident happened on May 19, 2023.
“My daughter arrived from school on this fateful day, she told me to allow her hawk puff-puff because we needed some money for her school fees,” she explained.
“She returned home after an hour to eat and later left home to hawk again. When it was getting late, I told one of my sisters who was going out to help tell her to return home as it was getting late in the evening.
“At around a few minutes before 7 pm, she came back home, but immediately I saw her I knew something was wrong because she looked tired and exhausted. While she was trying to explain to me what happened to her, she fainted but was revived at the hospital.
“She was taken to the theatre for surgery, and she had tears. It was after she woke up that she narrated how an aboki man raped her.
“She explained how the man forcefully raped her, and we set out to apprehend the man and hand him to the police, but we were surprised to learn that he had ran away to Kebbi in Kebbi state.
“We reported the incident to the police, and they told us that they have commenced a manhunt for the suspect and assured us that he will be made to face the wrath of the law”.
“We have spent a lot of money at the hospital, and she was discharged a few days ago after we went through hell before paying for the hospital bills. There is no one to help, and I have lost many things because of this incident.
“We reported the case to the police, and they demanded she takes us to where the incident happened, where the police recovered some items as evidence.
“We were later told the suspect had ran away from the town, as confirmed by their Seriki (leader) while the police told us they are on the case and have sent people to Kebbi to arrest him.”
She, however, said some people have been pestering the family to drop the case against the suspect.
She said her daughter has been traumatized since the incident.
Spokesperson of the command, Funmi Odunlami, who confirmed the incident said operatives have launched a manhunt for the suspect.
