By Izunna Okafor, Awka
James Rich, an indigene of Cross River State but resident in Anambra, has explained how he used to defile an underaged girl inside church toilet before 6:30am service every Sunday.
Aged 31, Mr. Rich, who is a church worker, gave the explanation during an interrogation after he was arrested for defiling and also impregnating the 14-year-old girl at St. Michael’s and All Angels’ Church, Ifite Awka, where he lives and works as a yardman.
According to him, he had only ‘enjoyed’ the little girl three times on weekly basis.
Without mentioning how many rounds he had gone with her, Rich further claimed that he usually gave the girl two hundred naira (N200) to buy biscuit each time they finished, as his little token of appreciation and compensation for the session.
While noting that he is married with two children while his wife is heavily pregnant at moment, the suspect claimed that this was his first time of defiling a little girl and therefore pleaded for pardon as he had never defiled any other girl before.
According to him, it was the handiwork of the devil, temptation, and attractiveness of the little girl that pushed him into such crime. He also promised not to defile another underaged girl if forgiven.
Explaining how it happened, the 14-year-old victim who has developmental challenge stressed that the suspect usually defiled her when she comes to church every Sunday morning before 6:30am service would start. She also attested that the victim usually gave her money for biscuit at the end of every session.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, said the Commissioner, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, received the news with great displeasure, decrying the alarming rate of defilement and other related crimes in the society today.
According to the PRO, the Commissioner, who spoke through her Special Assistant, Mrs. Blessing Nweke, said the suspect would be charged to court immediately, while also assuring to get justice for the little girl.
She said the Commissioner further warned people indulging in such despicable acts to desist from them or risk rotting up in jail, as the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led Anambra State Government has zero tolerance for such.
