Man Impregenates 16-Year-Old

Although we hear stories of men who sleep with their househelps, the case of this  16-years-old househelp is particularlly pathetic. Her name has been witheld for her privacy.

 

A year one senior secondary school student, who now lives with her married brother, Obi, was brought to Lagos seven years ago from their village in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Their mother had just died at the time, while their aged father back in the village was not doing too well financially. Obi himself was not financially bouyant, so when his good friend , a trader living in Mangoro area of Lagos named Ugochukwu Okparanta, said he would take over the care of the girl while she helped his wife with house chores, he agreed. Little did he know that Ugochukwu would deflower the young girl and eventually get pregnant.

 

As Punch reported it, it was only after threats, pleading and persuasion, that the girl’s brother, Obi,was able to get the truth about who was responsible out of her, as the little girl was too afraid to tell the truth; fearing that no one would believe her, or worst still, afraid that Ugochukwu would harm her for exposing him.

 

“I was nine when I started living with Uncle (Ugochukwu). But two years after I got there, he started raping me,”she confessed. “He started one day when I was washing plates and he started to touch me in the private part and breast. He started by petting me, telling me I would like it. I refused and became afraid. Then he threatened me. He would tell me that I would be in trouble if I did not do what he wanted.

 

 

“He told me to follow him to the sitting room. I obeyed. He raped me and while he did it, I was about to scream, but he covered my mouth with his hand very tightly. I was bleeding when he finished and I became more scared but he smiled and said the blood was normal. After that, he would rape me almost every night. Madam did not know anything. Anytime I refused, Uncle would threaten to deal with me.

 

Nobody knew what damage had been done until September 2014 when the symptoms of pregnancy started to manifest in the girl’s body. “She is one of those people who could be pregnant and her flat tummy would not make anyone suspicious. I thought that if she was pregnant, it would be in early stages and could be aborted. I had no idea that she would deliver in a few days,” the neighbour told Punch correspondent. After questioning, Ugochukwu admitted to sleeping with the girl but said she was the one who came on to him. 

 

Child rights activist, Esther Ogwu, the Executive Director of Esther Child Rights Foundation has taken up the case. She said taking responsibility for the care of the child was just a first step.“We are working to ensure that justice is done in this matter. But the welfare of the mother and child is paramount. We are taking the matter to the police, who will invite Okparanta for interrogation." She also said, “...it is necessary for families to be wary of the environment where children they put children they bring to Lagos from their villages. Many of such children often times are abused by adults who take advantage of their ignorance and innocence.”