Bella Ifasola

ANAMBRA, Nigeria – A man has been arrested by police in Nigeria’s eastern Anambra State for alleged sexual offence.

Francis Ogwu, 65, was arrested for allegedly defiling his seven-year-old domestic help (name withheld).Ogwu was arrested following an alarm raised by concerned residents of the town.

This was made known in a statement issued on Thursday by Miss Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to Anambra Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, in Awka, the state capital.

It was learnt that the suspect, a pastor and general overseer of Jesus House of Joy Church, Awka hails from Imo State, another eastern state.

He has lived in Anambra, with his wife and children, for over 30 years.Ogwu confessed to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, that he “just fingered the girl once”.

He denied allegations of penetration as against what the seven-year-old victim said.Ogwu attributed his action to temptation saying his wife usually denied him sex and that she made excuses of fasting whenever he desired her.

Meanwhile, the seven-year-old, who narrated her side of the story, said the suspect had carnal knowledge of her over three times.

She informed the Commissioner that her guardian Ogwu usually gave her money ranging from N500 to N1,000 after each experience.

She also said that at some point, she was accused by the pastor’s wife of snatching the husband from her.

The girl noted that what prompted her to leave was the beating she got by the suspect’s daughter at any slightest mistake.

Speaking, the mother of the victim, a native of Awka, Destiny Nwabueze, stated that she handed the daughter over to the Ogwu family due to their cordial relationship over time.

Mrs Nwabueze said that she was shocked when her daughter returned and told her of the development.

She revealed that she quickly called the suspect, who upon arrival denied the allegations, which prompted her to involve other people by raising alarm.

Reacting to the ugly incident, Obinabo said she would ensure the seven-year-old got justice.

The Commissioner advised women to always be vigilant over their husbands behaviours.

She equally advised women to stop starving their husbands of sex as that could lead to bad behavior for some men.

Obinabo, who charged women to always protect their girl child at all cost, noted that defilement was no longer excusable in Anambra State.It was gathered that Ogwu was kept under police custody as the case would be charged to court.

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