Police arrest man for raping lover’s 9-year-old niece in Rivers

Preye, a 39-year-old man, has landed in police custody for raping his lover’s nine-year-old niece in Ada George axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The accused, who was arrested on Sunday, June 12, 2022, raped the victim for a period of four years.

Addressing journalists on the incident, Boma Totty, an uncle to the nine-year-old who is almost 13-years now, said the suspect (Preye) first committed the crime in December 2019 when he came to the house of his female lover but met her absence.

According to Totty, while Preye didn’t meet her lover at home, he had carnal knowledge of the victim who was nine-year-old at the time.

His words: “My immediate younger sister who is 30-years old has a man friend that normally comes to the house to see her.

“There was a certain day he came to the house in December 2019 and it was only the little niece that was at home.

“So he grabbed her and had sex with her severally. She was nine years old then. Thereafter he took her to the boot of his car and brought out some fetish stuff.

“He brought out calabash, salt, pepper and powder and told her to swear that if she ever reveals what was happening that she and everybody in her family will die.”

Totty explained that the victim usually subject herself to the sexual misconduct out of fear.

“Sometimes she will open the door for him to come in and they will have sex. One of those days, she normally comes to the house with expensive things like jewelry and a necklace.

“So we started asking her where she was getting those things. She refused to say anything. So my elder sister now went to the school to find out some things.

“She later discovered that the girl has been going to school with money, sometimes N5, 000, N6, 000 and buying things for people.

“That Friday as she came back from school, we started interrogating her and after much petting, she now opened up that it was uncle Preye that has been molesting her.

“So, yesterday (Sunday) evening, my sister now sent him (Preye) a text that she should come and pay her money or she will report him to his family.

“So he came to negotiate the money with her. So when he came we held him and handed him over to the police,” the victim’s uncle added.

Totty revealed that the suspect is presently in detention at Ozuoba Police Division, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.