One Edet Sunday Edem has been arrested for the alleged defilement of a 10-year-old girl.
The suspect who is a tricycle operator in Akwa Ibom state, and reportedly hails from Oku Iboku in Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom State, allegedly committed the crime in his apartment in Use Offot area Of Uyo state.
Daily post reports that Edet dumped the young girl in the Use Offot market area, despite the fact that she was bleeding badly.
The young girl whose identity has been withheld, was reportedly rushed to St Luke’s hospital, Anua by passerbys for medical attention.
According to the reports, one Miriam Daniels who is reportedly a member of a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Journalists Alliance against Gender Based Violence, was responsible for rushing the child to the hospital after spotting her lying down and bleeding in the market square.
Daniels said, ” I was moved by the little girl’s pitiable state of health, I insisted that I should be taken to the suspect’s residence. When I arrived at the place, I was confronted with a pool of blood in the suspect’s apartment and blood stains were noticed in the premises.
“The suspect’s door was locked and there was no indication that he was within the neighbourhood.’’
Daily Post also reports that news of the sad incident spread fast, causing the youths in the area to begin a manhunt for the suspect.
Edet was finally apprehended in his hometown in Oku Iboku, where he was reportedly hiding out in the home of his pastor.
The youth leader of Use Offot, Fabian Ikpe, while speaking during an interview, said that the community had become concerned about the situation which prompted a manhunt to find the suspect and being him to justice.
He added that Edet had asked if he would be allowed to go free if he yielded to them, however he was taken to the police station.
“We told him that he should cooperate with us but we took him to the police station,’’ he said.
In his statement at the sewer a police station, Edet confessed to the crime, disclosing that despite working as a Keke driver, he was also an elder in his church.
“Yes I slept with her but when I noticed that she was bleeding, I erased the blood from the floor,’’ he said.
The reports have also revealed that Martha Udom Emmanuel, wife of Governor Udom Emmanuel, is not vested in the issue with hopes of providing special medical treatment for the victim.
The police have also revealed that the suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.