RAPE: Police facilitates N800k settlement between rapist, victim’s father; court steps in

A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded one Collins Azunna for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl, and Wigoh Enuolara, the father of the victim, for  collecting N800,000 from Azunna.

But defense lawyer Edwin Woka informed the court Enuolara had collected N800,000 from the family of the suspect.

His client, he said,  was only charged to court because he refused to be “extorted” further by the father of the victim.

But E.B Igwe, who is Enuolara’s counsel, told the court that his client did not agree to a settlement when it was initiated.

He said it was one Rita, the Investigating Police Officer at Eleme Police Division in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State where the offence was committed, that deceived Enuolara into taking the moey.

After going through the case files of the accused and nominal complainant at Eleme Police Division and State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Chief Magistrate F.N. Amanze noted that there is a document confirming Enuolara collected money and withdrew the case at the Eleme Police Division.

Amanze then ordered Azunna and the father of the victim be remanded at Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.

The magistrate then adjourned till January 13, 2022, for proper arraignment.