An Ikeja Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Lagos, yesterday heard how a policeman, Andy Eghobamien, lured a nine-year-old girl into his apartment and defiled her on several occasions. The child, a primary five pupil, told the court that Eghobamien, on one occasion after the abuse, hid her under his bed when her elder sister was frantically searching for her.
The 40-year-old policeman, who is standing trial on a onecount charge of defilement, allegedly committed the offence on June 6, 2018 at No 73 Imam Street, Amukoko area of Lagos. While being led in evidence by the state prosecutor, Inumidun Solarin, the girl said the defendant lured her into his room by giving her N200 to buy milk for him. Testifying before Justice Sybil Nwaka, the child said: “I am the last child of my family.
I have a brother and two sisters. I am in primary five and I attend African Bethel School, Ikorodu town.” When asked if she knew why she was in court, she replied: “Yes I do. This place is called a court and I came here to say everything that happened to me and also tell the truth. “I know Brother Andy (the defendant).
He is our neighbour who lives at the back yard of our house. He is popularly known as ‘officer’. “On that day, Brother Andy called me when I got back from school and sent me on an errand. He sent me to go and buy milk for him.
Then he gave me N200. “I bought the milk and when I returned, he asked me to bring it inside his room. He then said I should drop the milk on the table and sit down. “When I sat down, he told me to lie on the bed and remove my pants.
He now put his penis in my bum bum. “He put his penis at my front bum bum (she demonstrates by pointing at her private part). After that, he asked me to hide under the bed when my elder sister started calling my name. “One of our neighbours, Chioma, even entered his room to buy recharge card for him, though she didn’t see me, I saw her from under the bed. “When elder sister was shouting my name and looking for me, ‘officer’ told me to pretend like nothing happened and that I should pass through the backyard gate.
“My sister now later found me and asked where I went to and I lied. I told her that I went to my friend’s house but she insisted that I take her to my friend’s house. “Then I started begging her not to beat me, and that I was inside officer’s room.
My sister now beat me and reported to my Dad, who was very angry after my sister told him what happened. “When my Mummy came back from the market where she sells Abacha (African salad), my sister reported me again.
This time my Mummy threatened to kill me if I don’t tell her what happened. I became afraid and told her the truth. “Immediately my Mum called all her brothers and they came to our house the following morning. They took us to Amukoko Police Station to report. It was after we made a report at the station that the police came and arrested Brother Andy.” When asked what happened after they made statements at the police station, she said, “the police told my Mummy to take me to Mirabel Centre at Ikeja for medical check-up. At the Mirabel Centre, the doctor said that it was not once, twice or thrice that officer has been having sex with me”. “How many times has he done such to you (sexual intercourse)?” the prosecutor asked. She replied: “Many times. I can’t really count.”
However, during cross-examination by the defence lawyer, M. L. Ezomo, the child said that she could not shout or tell her sister immediately the incident occurred because the policeman threatened to kill her if she told anyone. She added: “No other person touched me except Brother Andy.” Justice Nwaka thereafter adjourned the matter till October 30 for continuation of trial.
