MAN,41, ACCUSED OF RAPING,IMPREGNATING HIS NIECE, 14, IN ABUJA

The wife of a 41-year-old father of two, who reside in Karmo, has accused him of raping and impregnating a 14-year-old girl, who is his niece.

The wife of the suspect made this claim at the local police station on September 3, 2013, Tuesday. She found out that her 14 year-old niece was pregnant after the girl suddenly felt sick and was taken to the hospital for examination.

When the woman talked to the girl on how she got pregnant, the teen said it was the complainant's husband, who has been raping her since last year.

The suspect has been regularly raping the minor since April 2013. Each time the wife went out, the man would pounce on the girl and rape her. The incident continued until the teenager got pregnant.

The suspect, who is a technician, reportedly, denied all the accusations, became mad when he realized it was his wife, who visited the police station to file the report which led to his arrest.

Deputy Superintendent Saheed Kazem, the Karmo Divisional Police Officer (DPO), confirmed the arrest of the man and stated that it was a pure case of procuration of a minor, contrary to Section 275 of the Penal Code.

"But when the girl was interviewed, we discovered that she was forced and seduced to illegal sex which has been happening for over a period," the DPO stated.

The DPO said rape cases involving minors are rampant and reported daily at the division but that in this case, it was the wife of the suspect that cried to the police.

Saheed Kazem further said investigation is ongoing and that the health and wellbeing of the child must be paramount at this juncture.

Deputy Superintendent Hyelhira Altine Daniel, the FCT police spokesperson, also confirmed the incident and advised that women should monitor their spouses closely with their female relatives and helps.

"They should not allow their female wards or helps to serve food to their husband or stay alone in the house with their husbands, as cases of rape are rampant and these always occur in families where the father is accused by their daughters or by house helps. Police cannot be in the bedrooms of every family to stop rape cases but we need families to take proactive measures to nip the incidences of rape in the bud," she said.