For the residents of Lugboji Oja community in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, they are still bewildered on why will a man married to four wives would defy an innocent 12-year-old girl.
The suspect, identified as Joseph, a father of nine, is currently cooling off his feet with the police.
Joseph, who was nabbed after attempting to flee the local government area, was alleged to have forcefully had canal knowledge of the 12-year-old girl.
It was gathered that the suspected rapist hailed from the same Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State with the father of the victim.
According to one of the villagers who pleaded for anonymity, he narrated that, “Francis Joseph (aka Fat Joe) told the police he is just 30 years of age but he is in his 40s.”
“He is from the same local government area with the father of the girl, Mr Christopher Friday and they are farmers in the same village here in Ondo.
“On Sunday’s evening, he lured the girl to his house where she was raped and also warned her not to tell anybody except if she wanted to die.
“At around 3am on Monday, the girl started bleeding profusely. That was when she told her father all that happened.”
The villager added that the incident was subsequently reported by the girl’s family at the Enuowa Police Station, Ondo after she was rushed to the State Specialist Hospital, Ondo while the suspect was said to have ran away from the village.
“She was treated and a medical report confirmed it that she was truly raped.
“The man has ran away since that day before he was later apprehended at Oka motor park, Ondo town. He was caught with his luggage, which suggests that he was trying to escape.”
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations officer, PPRO, Femi Joseph said the Commissioner of Police, Andie Undie, had directed that the case be transferred to the state’s Police Headquarters for further investigation.
“The suspect has been transferred to SIB Akure since that day he was apprehended for further investigation.”
Meanwhile, the girl has been taken to another hospital, Mother and Child Hospital, Ondo following her continuous bleeding.
