[News] Police officer accused of raping 17-year-old girl and her friend in Rivers

 

The victim

A policeman identified as Salihu Kazeem, has been accused of of raping a 17-year-old girl, her friend and filming their nude at his residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

 

Narrating her ordeal to Punch , the victim said Kazeem allegedly stripped them naked, took their nude video and raped them after accusing them of using his ATM to steal 500,000 naira from his account. The minor also accused Kazeem of trailing her after she reported the case at the Rumokpakani Police Station.

According to the victim, she was job hunting sometime in March 2022, when a friend introduced her to the policeman.

 

“He accused us of stealing when we returned his Automated Teller Machine card which he gave us to get something to eat after a friend introduced us to him. He claimed that he received many debit alerts and when we asked for the amount, he said N500, 000,” she narrated

 

“He discharged my friend and kept me and the girl that went to buy food in his house. He called his boys and told them that we were thieves

“He asked us to take off our dresses and filmed us as we were naked. He said if we don’t cooperate with him, he would spread our nude videos. He took us to a room and slept with us till the next morning.”

 

In his reaction, Kazeem, while denying the act, described the victims as hook-up girls, adding that they consented to the sexual act.

 

He, however, said the girls used his ATM card to make several withdrawals after one of the hook ups.

“When they came to my house, I gave one of them my ATM to buy food. They left with the ATM card and I didn’t see them till 11pm. None of them called to tell me anything. The only thing I was receiving was debit alerts. I tried to reach one of them that her friends connected me to for hook-up. She told me she gave my ATM card to another lady and said I should not be offended.”

 

Confirming the incident, a lawyer with the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Festus Bomwin, urged the police command in the state to investigate the case in a bid to get justice for the victims.

“We call on the Police Authority in Rivers State to order a thorough and unbiased investigation into the incident and if anyone is found culpable, the law should take it course.” he said.

 

Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the state Commissioner of Police, CP Friday Eboka, had invited the both parties.

 

“So, we are expecting them at the command today. I am sure after hearing from them, discreet investigation will begin and the outcome will be made known to the public. Whoever is found culpable will face the law.” the PPRO added.