March 25, 2023

The Anambra State Government said it rescued a 12-year-old girl, alongside her two younger siblings, from their father, Arinze Obiwenite, who allegedly defiles her.

Mrs Ify Obinabo, the state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, told newsmen on Saturday in Awka that the children were rescued on Monday, during a raid at Abacha town in Idemili North Local Government Area, following a tip off.

Obinabo said she visited the Traditional Ruler of Abacha community, Igwe Nwabunwanne Odiegwu, to notify him of the raid before taking action.

She said that during the visit, Igwe Odiegwu revealed that the accused, Obiwenite, presented himself as a Christian who helped people solve their spiritual problems without knowing that he had other motives.

“The traditional ruler told us he knew about Obiwenite’s alleged escapees when he accused some young boys in the community of raping his daughter.

“He was summoned to the palace on several occasions to state his case, but failed to honour the royal invitation which made the youth of the community troop to his residence but were disappointed at what they saw.

“The youth discovered that he locked up his three children in a room, including the 12-year-old girl, whom he alleged that some young men of the community had raped.

“When questioned, the daughter revealed that her father had locked them up in the room for five years and that he always had carnal knowledge of her while he fingers her two younger siblings,” she said.

The Commissioner said they raided Obiwenite’s residence and rescued the 12-year-old girl and her two siblings, who had been taken to the hospital for medical examination and treatment.

She assured that the children would get justice and a conducive environment for growth and proper care.

“When we raided the house, we also discovered that the accused uses diabolic means to run a ministry, known as ‘Holy Trinity Healing Ministry’, where people come to get solutions to their problems.

“When he was interrogated, he denied all the allegations but was quick to ask the traditional ruler to forgive him and help find a way of resolving the issue outside the court, which the Igwe blatantly refused.

“Some fetish items, hollow grave at his backyard, a paper with a long list of names of those he had killed and will kill, were discovered at his house and he was made to destroy them in the presence of the villagers.

“The accused also stated that he was married to 11 wives but does not live with any of them,” she said.

Obinabo said that Obiwenite had been arrested by the police and transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department in Awka.

She said that Obiwenite would be arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate’s Court. (NAN)