Girl, 15, commits suicide after being gang- raped

Rage, shock and confusion pervaded Okwoyi
village, Isieke community in Umuahia North Local
Government Area of Abia State as a 15-year-old
girl committed suicide after being ganged-raped.
The deceased, Comfort Uche-Ume, a native of
Amaeke Abam in Arochukwu LGA of the state,
was allegedly raped by three boys; Ndubuisi
Wogu, Chinaza Ufomadu, and Francis Onwoboro
now on the run.
The deceased was a JSS 3 student of Isieke
Community Secondary School and had just
finished writing the “Junior WEAC” exam,
according to a source.
The source also said two of the culprits hail from
Okwoyi while the other is from Ikwuano LGA.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Onyeke said the
police had declared the suspected rapists
wanted.
Onyeke told Southern City News that the victim
who until her death resided at Iyienyi village with
her parents, had gone in the company of her
sister who was married at Okwoyi, a
neighbouring village, to see her (sister) husband.
He said that as evening approached, the
deceased opted to return home to remove the
clothes they spread outside to save them from
getting wet from the threatening rain.
But another source said the deceased decided to
return home because she was having the key to
their house so that the parents who travelled
would not be stranded upon their return.
The PPRO said that as the deceased was
trekking back to Iyienyi village alone, she was
allegedly accosted by Nwogu, who had been
making unsuccessful advances at her.
He said Nwogu, assisted by two other
accomplices, dragged the victim to a nearby
bush where they gang-raped her, threatening to
kill her if she raised any alarm.
Police said that when the sister of the deceased
returned home, she met her crying and after
enquiries, Comfort narrated her ordeal to her.
Irked by the sexual assault on her sister, she
was said to have informed her husband, who
quickly rushed to confront one of the suspects
and engaged him in a free-for-all.
According to the police, the victim was later
brought to Umuahia Central Police Station
around 9pm by her parents to officially report
the matter.
Onyeke said after lodging the complaint, the
police first decided to take the victim to the
police clinic for examination and medical
attention.
He said after she was examined and the police
wanted to take her statement, but the parents
pleaded that they should be allowed to take her
home, promising to return the next morning since
it was getting late so that they could still get
transport home.
The incident, according to him, took place Friday
last week.
“But instead of returning as they promised, the
parents never showed up. The mother of the
deceased rather decided to scold her over the
incident.
“The mother mismanaged the situation. She said
to her ‘Have I not warned you not to go to
Okwoyi village alone? Now three men have raped
you and if you become pregnant, who will be the
father of the baby?’
“On Tuesday morning, the mother of the victim
allegedly went to her room again and started
talking to her. She later invited her for the
family’s morning devotion, but she declined,”