The Akwa Ibom police have arrested one Godwin Jeremiah, a bricklayer from Ikot Udota, for allegedly raping his 13-year-old daughter. Sunday Digha, the
The Akwa Ibom police have arrested one Godwin Jeremiah, a bricklayer from Ikot Udota, for allegedly raping his 13-year-old daughter. Sunday Digha, the Eket Divisional Police Officer (DPO), said the suspect started harassing his daughter sexually since last year, and was arrested after she reported the case to the police.
He said that Jeremiah’s friend, who also allegedly attempted to rape the victim, was at large and the police were looking for him. Narrating her ordeal, the victim, who broke down in tears, accused her father of forcefully having sex with her mainly in the night, and almost on a daily basis. She said that her father’s friend, one Michael, from Ikot Udoma village, also attempted to rape her, but he ran away when she raised alarm.
“My father forcefully abused me sexually. This occurs almost on daily basis in spite of my resistance and the pains and injury I sustained from the ungodly act. Initially, I reported the case to my stepmother who confronted my father, but she was beaten and this made her flee from my father’s house. When the whole thing became unbearable for me, I ran and reported to the police, which led to his first arrest, but my aunt, who did not believe my story, intervened and he was released on bail.
“After his release, I did not have any option than to return to the house and stay with my father. The matter grew from bad to worse. It was the darkest moment in my life. This time my father did not allow me to sleep, he forcefully abused me throughout the night. He was coming on daily basis. Since nobody was there to help, I decided to run away from my father’s house. But fate led to my meeting a compassionate mother, Mrs Bright Archibong, and the President of FIDA who rose up to fight on my behalf,” she narrated.
In his response, Jeremiah confirmed that his daughter used to sleep on the same bed with him
