Newly Married Man Arrested For Raping a 6 Year Old Daughter in Lagos

Francis Azukwo, a 32-year-old Lagos resident has been arrested for defiling a  six-year-old daughter of his neighbour.

According to Joy, the mother of the child who raised alarm and got Azukwo arrested, the shocking incident happened when she was being delivered of twins at a close by hospital.

On her return home, she observed that her daughter’s movement was altered and she checked her private part, where she saw bruises on her body again. The disturbed child then reported that ‘Uncle Francis touched her there’.

A neighbour narrates the furore that ensued afterwards:

“The two of them are neighbours. The suspect stayed upstairs, while the complainant stayed downstairs. The girl’s mother said she had gone to the hospital to give birth, while her husband was away from the house. So, Ngozi was left in the care of a cousin, who was about 16 years old. The cousin was babysitting her.

“She said when she returned from the hospital, she observed that the girl was not walking properly and she checked her private parts and saw bruises. When she interrogated the daughter, the girl said it was the suspect that defiled her.”

Joy, who confirmed the source’s account of the incident, said she could not tell the motive for the alleged assault, adding that she did not know much about Azukwo.

“I did not challenge him. I just went to report to the police. He denied the allegation, but my daughter kept pointing at him that he was responsible,” she added.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police at the Ikotun division and the Akwa Ibom State indigene was arrested.

Ngozi was, however, taken to Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where tests were conducted on her. The results reportedly showed that there was penetration and her hymen was broken and that she was also assaulted anally.

Azukwo is currently in police custody, awaiting trial in court. Under the Child Rights Act (CRA) sex with a child is rape, and anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child is liable to imprisonment for life upon conviction.

This post was first published on Newsroom.ng.