An alleged police rapist arrested, released two hours later.
A 55 years old, John Osagie, who is a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Benin City, Edo State was arrested on Wednesday the 3rd of May 2023 and released two hours later for allegedly raping and impregnating his 12-years old stepdaughter (Name Withheld).
The command’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Chidi Nwanbuzor, said Mr. Osagie was released due to lack of evidence that he committed the crime, and not because of his status as a DPO. He added that Mr. Osagie was arrested following a complaint by the children protection services and his wife who is the mother of the girl.
“The child’s mother (Name Withheld), who noticed that her daughter was bleeding heavily after an illegal abortion performed by a private doctor, rushed the girl to the hospital where she was properly treated. The hospital staff reported the illegal abortion to the police, and to the children protection services, and the children protection services have been working with the girl’s mother secretly to report her husband to the press and mount pressure on the police to investigate her abusive husband. According to Mrs. Osagie, her daughter told her that Mr. Osagie began raping her since she was 9 years old, and this was her second abortion.”
Mr. Chidi Nwanbuzor further said, the new state commissioner of police in Edo State, Mr. Abutu Yaro, has ordered that the case be transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department for further investigation.
She further added that Mr. Osagie is on administrative leave until investigations are completed and urged the public to maintain peace while investigation is ongoing and assured everyone concerned that Mr. Osagie will be rearrested and charged to court accordingly if there are enough evidence to do so.
