By Santo Ojok | Monitor
Police in Apac District are holding a 43-year-old man over allegations of defiling a 7-year-old stepdaughter.
The suspect identified as Patrick Omara, a businessman at Ayera Trading Centre in Awila Parish, Akokoro Sub-county, was arrested on Friday evening after he was caught sexually abusing the minor in his shop.
The victim is a P1 pupil at Awila Primary School.
Eyewitnesses said Omar committed the offense at the time when the mother of the victim, who is a fishmonger, had left home for the landing site to buy fish.
Maxwell Akora, a casual laborer at Sadeem Alkuwait, told investigators that the mother of the victim returned from the landing site and found the suspect locked up in the house before she raised alarm.
“She returned home and found the house locked. When she peeped through the window, she found her husband molesting the little girl and then raised alarm which attracted many people. Omara tried to run away but was arrested. He was beaten up before being rushed to Awila Police Outpost,” he explained on Sunday.
Bosco Waca, a resident in the area, claimed that the victim alleged that her stepfather had defiled her eight times and threatened to kill her upon disclosure.
“This little girl told us that Omara used to sleep with her while wielding a machete and threatening to kill her if she reported him to her mother,” Waca told Monitor.
A day before, Apac District Police Commander (DPC) Rodgers Kapere confirmed that the suspect was under police custody.
“The suspect was transferred to the CPS here and the case was registered under CRB 642/2024. Investigations have already commenced. Once complete, the file will be forwarded to the state attorney for further management,” he said on Saturday.
Source: Monitor