Hope Chidiebere

… inflicts severe injuries on her

…Zonal Representative of denies him say saying he is an impostor,not a member of the SU

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has vowed to prosecute, Hope Chidiebere, the suspected rapist of a 6-year old girl in Finima Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hope Chidiebere.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Finima Division, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Bashir Kontagora assured that there will be justice for the violated Child rape victim.
According to him, the suspected rapist has been handed over to the Gender Department at the State Criminal and Investigation Department of the Rivers State Police Command where further investigation will be conducted and the suspect subsequently arraigned before a court of law.

CP Joseph Mukan

The suspect, Chidiebere who was engaged as a private lesson Tutor for the victim is said to capitalized on her innocence to have raped the little girl in both her private part and her anus and in the process caused her grievous injury.
Since the incident came into the public domain not a few concerned individuals raised their voices to condemn the act called for Justice.
They had equally rallied round the parents to get the girl to the General Hospital, Bonny, where she was examined and it was confirmed that she was mercilessly raped and violated.
The suspect was claimed to have also raped a 4 year old girl and another 8 year old girl at different times earlier in the year but concealed by the parents of minors to avoid stigmatization.
The Police Divisional Police Officer,Bashir Kotangora, assured all interested parties in the case that the right thing will be done and justice will be served in the case, saying that alleged crime was a heinous one that was alien to the ideals of humanity.
Hope Chidiebere, a native of Abia State who is resident in Bonny, was said to be a home Lesson Tutor. On his Facebook profile, he claims to be the Secretary of the Scripture Union Nigeria, Port Harcourt Region. He attended Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Government College, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
Meanwhile,the Scripture Union of Nigeria (SU) has denied any knowledge of the suspected rapist of being a member.
But in a swift reaction, the zonal Representative of the SU in Bonny LGA, Vivian Brown, dismissed such claims as unfounded, saying that he does not know him and has never met him in any SU activity in the area.
Zonal Representative, Scripture Union, Bonny LGA, Vivian Brown,
“I have never met him, I don’t know him and he has never attended any of our events. If he says he is the Secretary of the SU in Port Harcourt, then he is lying because that is not correct. He is not our member and has no affiliation with the SU.”
Chidiebere was said to have allegedly raped a minor aged 6 years old in Finima after he took her away from her home inside the community to the back of the Finima Bakery, which was a distance of about two kilometers away from the community, and viciously defiled her.
Reports say he alleged raped her in her private part and in her anus thus causing her severe and grievous injury.
The suspected rapist tore the lining between the child’s vagina and anus, adding that when she was found, blood and faeces were dripping from her body.
She was immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Bonny where doctors examined her and ascertained that she was actually raped and treatment was administered to her.
The source further disclosed that the little girl was responding well to treatment as at the time of this report.
The Public Relations Officer of the Asawo (Youths) of Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House of Finima in Bonny Local Government Area, Idatonye Lambert, confirmed that the suspect had earlier in April this year also raped two minors aged 4 and 8.
According to him, the community decided then to banish him from their midst but for the lockdown imposed on interstate travels, his family could not take him out.
He stated that when this recent incident happened the youths of the community were rallied to find and apprehend him and handed him to the Police for prosecution.
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria had already stepped in the case and have vowed to ensure that justice was served on the case.
So far, there has been a public outcry on the incident with some residents of the area calling for the maximum punishment of death sentence on the suspect.