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Nigerian Police Harass Witness In Case Involving Officer Who Sexually Assaulted Female Teenager In Custody

Police
September 6, 2022

Oke, who is an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was alleged to have committed the offence when the teenager asked him for water.

 

The Nigeria Police Force has threatened a witness in the police sexual assault case of a teenager detained in the station while warning him against coming to testify in the case.

The Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Awgu Police Division, Enugu State, Kelvin Ugwu, was reported to have threatened the said witness.

SaharaReporters had reported that a police officer, Vincent Oke, attached to the division sexually assaulted a 17-year-old teenager detained in the station.

Oke, who is an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was alleged to have committed the offence when the teenager asked him for water.

SaharaReporters reported that the incident which happened on March 18, 2022 had been lingering as the accused officer was neither arrested nor prosecuted.

However, after SaharaReporters exposed the assault last week, the new state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani, directed an immediate arrest of the officer.

The commissioner consequently directed the Deputy Commissioner in-charge of the State (CIID) to conduct a thorough investigation and bring up actionable findings on the report.

Consequently, the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) called one of the witnesses identified as Francis, who was said have been at the station the night the ASP sexually assaulted the teenager.

A family member of the teenage girl, who spoke on condition of anonymity told SaharaReporters, on Tuesday that the witness had told the family that he would not be available to testify on the case because of threat to his life.

He lamented that the police were at it again, doing everything to frustrate the case.

Meanwhile, the said witness confirmed to SaharaReporters that he was being threatened even though he didn't mention who was threatening him.

He, however, stated that he would come and testify whenever his presence was needed no matter the threats.

 "I have no business with anybody but whenever I am needed I will come to the police to say what I know," he said.

Meanwhile, CP Ammani has vowed that the Command under his leadership will not condone any act against the rights and dignity of human person(s). He added that he would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice is duly served to all involved in the case.

He equally, called on the parties to make available all the necessary information and evidence required in the investigation.

Meanwhile, attempts to get the reaction of the said DCO were unsuccessful as he could not answer his calls as the phone rang out.