19th September, 2022
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A man simply identified as James caused a mild drama last Saturday at Bestman Estate in Rumukwuota, Obio-Akpor Local Government area of Rivers after he got the police to arrest a 17 year old girl simply identified as Faith, for refusing to accede to his sexual demands after dashing her money repeatedly.
The man, said to be in his 40s, allegedly got policemen from Rumupeirikom(Kala) Police Division to arrest the girl for turning down his sex demand after ‘dashing’ her money on several occasions.
It was gathered that the total amount money James gave as gifts to the girl within a period of two months was 17,500 naira.
The National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro confirmed the arrest of the girl on the invitation of James by the police.
Wiro told journalists that he got involved in the drama when he received a call that some policemen from Rumupeirikom (Kala) Police station came to arrest the minor based on compliant by James who has being luring and enticing her for sex.
The activist said he spoke with the girl on phone and some of residents who were trying to stop the police from taking her away.
He, however, said he told the residents that it was unlawful to resist arrest and to allow the girl go with the police since it is possible the complainant may have misinformed the Police.
Mr Wiro said he later went to the police station. He said after the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) heard from both parties, the girl was asked to go with the people that followed her, while the man was warned to desist from harassing the girl.
Faith also narrated her ordeal to journalists: “Today I was in my shop when James came to arrest me. I have being manicuring his nails, and he gifts me the remaining ‘change’, he will tell me, ‘take it’ .
“Each time he comes to my shop, he will clean his nails and tell me to take the change. He also dashes me money at times. He never told me the reasons he was giving me this money. But one day, he told me I should follow him to a hotel and I told him no, that I cannot go to a hotel with him after I found out he is a married man.
“Then he has been telling me to come with him to a hotel, so that I can sleep with him. He then decided to bring Police to my shop today to come and arrest me.
“The Police took me to the station and told me to write statement and I wrote everything down”.
When approached by our Correspondent in the Police station, Mr James declined comment, but said the DPO has ‘settled’ the matter.
The Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police command,SP Grace Iringe-Koko told our that the young girl left with her parents after the DPO listened to both parties.
She said the DPO also warned the man to stop harassing the girl because she was a minor.
Meanwhile Prince Wiro, also advised residents of the state not to resist lawful invitation by the Police even when they are innocent as complainants in most cases, misinform the Police.
He said the only way the Police can find out the truth is by inviting the alleged suspect and hearing from both parties
He also advised men to woo a woman properly in case of adult females and not to conclude that when a woman receive cash gifts from them, she has consented to have sex.
Mr Wiro equally advised young ladies to be careful of the kind of men they receive gifts from as some men can arrange for them to be raped as a way of punishing them if they feel swindled them.