A
teenage girl had committed suicide after being gang raped by three boys in Okwoyi
village, Isieke community in Umuahai North Government Area of Abia State.
Comfort
Uche-Ume, was allegedly raped by three boys, Ndubuisi, Chinaza, and Francis who
are now on the run. Comfort was a JSS 3
student of Isieke Community Secondary School and has just finished writing the
‘Junior WAEC exam, at the time of incidence.
It
was also reported that, two of the culprits hail from Okwoyi while the other is
from Ikwuano LGA. The
victim who until her death resided at Iyienyi village with her parents had gone
in the company of her sister who was married at Okwoyi, a neighbouring village
to see her (sister) husband. He said that as evening approached, the deceased
opted to return home to remove the clothes they spread outside to save them
from getting wet form the rain. But another source said the deceased decided to
return home because she was having the key to their house, so that her parents
who had been away would not be stranded upon their return.
The
Police Public Relation Officer said the deceased was trekking back to Iyienyi
village alone; she was allegedly accosted by Ndubuisi who had been making
advances at her. He
said Ndubuisi was assisted by two other accomplices, dragged the victim to a
nearby bush where they gang-raped her, threatening to kill her if she raise any
alarm. The
police said when the sister of the deceased returned home, she met her crying
and after enquires, Comfort narrated her ordeal to her.
Irritated by the sexual assault on her sister, she
was said to have informed her husband, who quickly rushed to confront one of
the suspects and engaged him in a free-for-all (fight).
According to the police, the victim was later
brought to Umuahia Central Police Station around 9pm by her parents to
officially report the matter.
Onyeke said after lodging the complaint, the police
first decided to take the victim to the police clinic for examination and
medical attention.
He said after she was examined and the police
wanted to take her statement, but the parents pleaded that they should be
allowed to take her home, promising to return the next morning since it was
getting late so that they could still get transport home.
“But instead
of returning as they promised, the parents never showed up. The mother of the
deceased rather decided to scold her over the incident. The mother
mismanaged the situation. She said to her ‘Have I not warned you not to go
to Okwoyi village alone? Now three men have raped you and if you become
pregnant, who will be the father of the baby? The next day, the mother of the victim allegedly
went to her room again and started talking to her. She later invited her for
the family’s morning devotion, but she declined,”
The state police spokesman pointed out that when
the family began to hold their morning devotion about 20 minutes later, a shout
was heard outside the house and the family members rushed out.
According to him, the initial thinking of family
members was that the rapists had come to attack her again. But that was not to
be as they were shocked to their marrows to see the lifeless body of their
daughter, who was reportedly seen leave her room with a head tie/ veil across
her shoulders, dangling on a guava tree beside their house. She had committed
suicide!
Police said the deceased might have decided to take
her life out of frustration and possible stigmatization.
The PPRO, therefore, advised parents and guardians
to exercise caution when “they manage sensitive situations that might come
their way, especially the ones affecting their children or wards.” He said,
“Parents should avoid stigmatising their children, but treat them with love
anytime such unfortunate situation comes up.”
Onyeke also appealed to members of the public with
any credible information about the whereabouts of the alleged rapists to
volunteer same to the nearest police station for prompt action.
Meanwhile, a source at Okwoyi told our
correspondent that the villagers had begun a manhunt for the suspects. The
source said hunters had been mobilised to comb every nook and cranny of the
village for their possible arrest.
The question one ask is who is to blame for Comfort’s
untimely death? Is it Comfort (the deceased), who unfortunately took her own
life for fear of stigmatisation, or the mother who never stopped blaming and condemning her
daughter for the misfortune that befell her.
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Story: PunchNg
