The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting in Awka, has remanded one Joseph Egwuatu, aged thirty-five in custody , for allegedly raping a two-year-old child, in Anambra West Local Government Area.
Mr Joseph Egwuatu who hails from Nzam, was arraigned before the Court for unlawfully having a sexual intercourse with a child; punishable under section thirty-four subsection two of the Child’s Right Law of Anambra State, 2004.
The charge was read and interpreted to the defendant.
However, the defendant did not take plea, because the case can still be tried by the High Court.
Before the charge was read to the defendant the presiding Chief Magistrate, Genevieve Osakwe, duly informed the defendant of his constitutional right to a defense counsel of his choice.
Speaking to journalists after the Court’s session, Mr Joseph Egwuatu denied committing the Offence, claiming that he only volunteered to help babysit the child.
According to him, he went out to get a few things done, but while coming back to the house, he heard the child crying and he decided to check on her; but to his shock, he saw the child in a pool of her own blood, with a lot of tears in her vagina, which left him bewildered.
Mr Egwuatu further told journalists that it was at the moment that one of their relatives stepped in, raised an alarm and began to tell everyone that he raped the child insisting that he had never attempted to harm anyone, let alone his own blood.
The victim, a- two-year-old child had since been taken to the hospital for proper medical attention.
In her reaction, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Anambra State, Mrs Ify Obinabo expressed sadness over the incident, but assured that her Ministry will pursue justice for the victim, and ensure that the defendant, if found guilty, be punished in accordance with the law.
She also revealed that her Ministry will soon embark on media sensitization programme, during which Ndị Anambra will be educated and fully enlightened about the inherent dangers and negative consequences of rape, child molestation, child labour, child abuse and other related issues.
The Commissioner urged members of the public to shun all forms of social vices especially, those vices that endanger the life of children and called on the people to be agents of positive social change.
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