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Septuagenarian, two sons in police custody for defiling minor

By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City
24 March 2018   |   4:17 am
The Edo State Government yesterday handed over 70-year-old Francis Ezomo, his two sons- Nosa Ezomo, 26, and Festus Ezomo, 29- to the state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo...

The Edo State Government yesterday handed over 70-year-old Francis Ezomo, his two sons- Nosa Ezomo, 26, and Festus Ezomo, 29- to the state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl said to be a relative of Ezomo’s wife. 
   
Acting Chairman of the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe, who handed over the suspects to the Police at Government House, Benin City, said the case was reported to her office by the headmistress of the school the minor attends. 
 
She said: “The issue came to the limelight when the headmistress of the minor’s school noticed a change of behaviour in the minor and decided to ask her what the problem was. 

“The nine-year-old girl narrated her ordeal to the headmistress, who then informed the Education Secretary of the local government council, where the alleged crime took place.

“We then swung into action and got the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development involved.
  
“When we could not get the necessary action required from the Police, the state government swung into action and these three men were apprehended almost immediately.”
  
She said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has taken custody of the child, who is now in a safe place, saying SUBEB would ensure that her education is not truncated. 
 
“What the men have done is bad and their actions have attempted to destroy the life and future of the minor.

“The three men took advantage of the child and exposed her to trauma. We have waded into the case to ensure justice prevails,” Oviawe said. 
  
Kokumo assured that his men would investigate the allegation and charge the suspects to court if found culpable, adding: “Scientific investigation for the minor was sent to the hospital and a doctor report has shown that her hymen has been broken. The scientific report has established that the minor was sexually abused.

“We will investigate the case and charge them to court.”

He urged parents not to leave the duty of nurturing their children to teachers in schools, saying: “Nurturing a child is not just the responsibility of the school, both parents and guardians have a lot of roles to play in the proper training up of our children.”

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