The police in Imo State has been accused of detaining one Chidi Arimnuta, the father of a 14-year-old- girl who was allegedly defiled by a man, Chigozie Abana.
According to the family of the victim, Arimnuta was detained on the orders of the suspect.
Earlier, the teenager alleged that Abana, who was her guardian raped her several times while his wife was pregnant.
The 14-year-old girl said Abana committed the offence between June and July 2023, in his residence in Owerri, the Imo State capital, while also alleging that the suspect flogged her with a belt at night whenever she rejected his advances.
The victim reportedly fled when her parents visited her in school after several failed attempts to reach her on phone.
According to the victim’s dad, the suspect boasted that nothing would happen to him as he was connected politically.
However, the victim’s father was picked up and detained by the police on September 20 for allegedly daring to speak to the media about the allegations raised by his teenage daughter.
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The victim’s father was subsequently bailed the next day by a human rights activist, who does not want his name mentioned.
Speaking after his release, Arimnuta said, “The families made arrangements to see him and discuss the allegations raised by our daughter on Sunday but he suddenly called to say he would not be around on Sunday and that we should leave it till Monday.
“On Monday, he called again that he was not around and that we should leave it for Wednesday. That Wednesday, when we got to the place he invited us, we laid down our complaint, and then he started beating around the bush and was making calls in between the meeting.
“All of a sudden, policemen came to where we were sitting and he pointed at me, saying that I was the one who published the story. That was how I was arrested that day.”
It was gathered from the family of the victim that the suspect, Abana, was angry that a report on his alleged defilement of the minor was published and not the allegation itself.
“That was what made him angry,” he told our correspondent a day after his release.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said he was not aware of the case but directed that the father of the victim should put a call across to him “so that I can take necessary action.”