Suspects who raped underage children won’t escape prosecution – Abia govt

Abia State government has vowed to prosecute the perpetrators who defiled and raped five minors and one adult in the state.

It said that a 10-year-old girl who survived the rape has undergone surgery at the state’s Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

The state government also promised that the suspect who physically assaulted a pregnant woman in the state recently would not escape the wrath of the law.

Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, made this known at Government House, Umuahia, on Monday while addressing journalists on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

He disclosed that seven GBV and SGBV cases, comprising six cases of sexual violence and one case of domestic violence, were recently recorded in the state.

According to him, the cases involved five minors aged between 10 and 14 years and two adult women aged between 25 and 40 years.

He said the reported cases involved alleged defilement, rape and domestic violence against a pregnant woman.

Kanu added that the Nchedo Sexual Assault Referral Centre provided medical and other support services to survivors, including medical intervention and surgery for a 10-year-old survivor who sustained severe vaginal bleeding.

The commissioner said the cases had been documented for appropriate protection, investigation, referral and legal processes, assuring that the state government remained committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence were brought to justice.

“This administration is committed to ensuring that perpetrators of gender-based violence are brought to justice, no matter what it takes,” Kanu said.

Kanu further said this year’s World Igbo Day, which will be hosted by Abia State, would be used to unite Ndigbo and lay wreaths for fallen Igbo legends.