Mother of 8-year old rape victim sacked from matrimonial home for seeking justice

Ifeyinwa Ezukamma, a 40-year old mother of five has narrated how she was chased out her matrimonial home by her husband’s family because of her insistence to pursue justice for her 8-year old daughter who was raped by her tenant.

Ezukamma told newsmen that the incident took place in her family in their country home, Ogidi, Idemili North Council Area of Anambra.

She said though she caught the suspect, Hebert Ogbonna who claimed to be 57 years old in the act on July 23, she said her daughter told her the man had been violating her since March this year.
The woman who had since packed to her maiden home alleged that her husband compromised and warned her not to pursue the matter because it would bring disgrace to their family.

“I also noticed irregular noise and movement in the bathroom, out of curiosity I went to check if everything was normal, to my amazement, it was a tenant in our house, an old man that should be about 70 years old was having sex with my daughter.

“ I shouted and people gathered to see for themselves, the old man began to plead for forgiveness.

“I called my daughter and ask her what happened, she said the old man had been raping her for some months and had threatened to kill her if she told anybody about that was why she did not tell me,” she said.

Ezukamma alleged that her husband collected money and asked her to go and negotiate her own and get paid off but her travail started when she refused to accept any financial pacification but insisted that she would get justice for her daughter.
She said the family chased her away and took away her teenage daughters from her for being bent on bringing disgrace to the family and reporting the matter to child right NGO after the matter had been incidented at a Police station.

She expressed worry about the safety of her children who had been disconnected from her.
“It was my insistence to pursue this matter that led to my her husband and his family people to chase me out of my matrimonial home and take my children away from me.

“I said I will not collect any money as an appeasement for my little daughter that was raped, the painful aspect is that my other daughters have been cut off from, I don’t know about their wellbeing now, “ she said.

Preliminary reports from Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital, Ogidi where the child was taken to on Aug.4 and examined showed that there was penetration but noted that the private hospital where she was taken to on the date of the incident did not carryout physical examination of the child.

The document signed by Dr Madubuike Chinelo said the history was sturdily suggestive of sexual abuse.

“Further history obtained from the client stated that the said man has been abusing her asexually by inserting his penis into her vagina since the month of March 2020 with the promise of dashing her some money.

“The episode had happened up to five times prior to tie most recent encounter.

“On account of incessant itching on the perineal area by the client, and mother’s quest to repeat the investigation and to have her daughter examined, mother brought her daughter to our facility.

“The urogentialsystem done in the presence of a chaperon showed there was hypereamia of the vaginal mucosa, no obvious vaginal discharge and a hymen that had already been tampered with, the client was placed on some drugs for the vaginitis,” it stated.

Child Right Brigade International (CRIB), a Non Government Organisation said the matter was reported to them on Aug. 12 and vowed to resist any cover up but ensure that the suspect was charged to court and prosecuted.

Obiora Nnaemeka, Coordinator of CRIB in Anambra said according to the brief they had, the father of the victim, Mr Alex Ezukamma collected some amount of money to get the matter out of Police.

Nnaemeka said they had written the Divisional Police Officer at Ogidi Station to effect the arrest of the suspect and the father of the child and resurrect the matter for investigation and prosecution.

He said this would serve as deterrent for other would-offenders and stem the tide of rising rape and pedophilia in the society.

On his part, Alex Ezukamma confirmed to newsmen that his daughter was raped and that the man had been arrested, detained and bailed with the threat of not returning to his (Ezukamma) house where he was the landlord.

Ezukamma denied collecting any firm of gratification for his raped daughter saying that he was a pegan who doesn’t touch such money but would rather opt that some cleansing be done.

He said he and members of his family had told the wife that they would not like their family name be associated with such prosecution because of the disgrace it would be to them and the stigma it would bring to their daughter.

He said she went against their collective resolve not to make it public and there incurred the sack from their family.

“She disobeyed me, my elders and junior ones not to drag our family name into the matter because of the dent it will bring to us and our daughter, that is why I asked her to leave my house.

“I did not and cannot collect money from somebody who raped my daughter, I got him arrested and detained for his crime but we don’t want to pursue a rape case.

“My wife can go to any length she wishes but our name must not be involved,” he said.

When contacted, CSP Remigus Ekuri, DPO, Ogidi said the matter would be charged to court as soon as the medical report was available.