Police in Central Nigeria are investigating alleged sexual abuse of two
teen girls by a 54-year old man identified as Mr. James Otuneruke.
Otuneruke is believed to have had carnal knowledge of the girls in Jos,
the capital of Plateau State, several times for 16 weeks before he was
caught on Monday.
The suspect often lured the 13 and 11-year-old children of his neighbor
with beverages, noodles and other eatables to his apartment before
abusing them, it was gathered.
The girls according to a family source have revealed that they were often offered cash rewards to keep mute about the act.
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| Mr. Otuneruke after being caught and mobbed |
Mr. Otuneruke was once suspected of the offense but he
claimed he only invited the girls for errands, the source said.
Caught ‘red-handed’
The father of two whose wife and kids reside in the Nigerian capital city,
Abuja was however caught ‘red-handed’ at about 11 pm, local time while
attempting to have another encounter with one of the girls, said the source.
Watchful neighbors according to the source perceived suspicious movements which
they traced to Mr. Otuneruke’s apartment.
The discovery reportedly sparked protests leading to a near mob action against
the suspect.
He was however handed over to authorities at the Anglo Jos Divisional Police
Station, Rayfield Road, Jos at about midnight, it was learnt.
Medical examinations conducted on the girls, however, show that they have
contracted Sexually Transmitted Disease, it was gathered.
Efforts to get details of the disease were unsuccessful as of publishing time
but Mr. Otuneruke is said to have confessed to the crime.
Inquiries sent to the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tyopev
Terna had also yet to be replied as of the time of publishing this report.
However, Mr. Otuneruke is expected to undergo trial at the completion of
investigations.
If found guilty, Mr. Otuneruke could face life imprisonment with a possible
fine attached.
What the law says
Section 357 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act states, “Any person who has
unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her
consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or
intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and
fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a
married woman, by personating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is
called rape.”
The CCA states further in Section 358 that “Any person who commits the offense
of rape is liable to imprisonment for life, with or without caning.”
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| Mr. Otuneruke after being caught and mobbed |
The CCA in Section 359, in fact, states that any person who
attempts to commit the offense of rape is guilty of a felony, and is liable to
imprisonment for fourteen years, with or without caning.
Similarly, Section 282. (I) of the Penal Code Act says “A man is said to commit
rape who, except in the case referred to in subsection (2) of this section, has
sexual intercourse with a woman in any of the following circumstances-
(a) against her will; (b) without her consent; (c) with her
consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or
of hurt; (d) with her consent, when the man knows that he is not her
husband and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another
man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married; (e) with
or without her consent, when she is under fourteen years of age or of unsound
mind.
The Penal code in Section 283 specifies punishment for whoever commits rape to
include imprisonment for life or for any less term, in addition to a
fine.
