by BY Elijah Ugani – Calabar
The wife of the governor of Cross River State and President/Founder of Mediatrix Development Foundation MDF, Dr. Linda Ayade has vowed to ensure that the Rtd. Captain Bassey Ikanem age 73 who raped a 4 years old minor is prosecuted in line with the provisions of the law.
Ayade made this known through the Chief Operating Officer, COO, of her Mediatrix Development Foundation, Mr. Jeffrey Adamade, when he visited the Akim Police station to verify the information.
The incident took place on the evening of 1st June 2020 at Big Qua Town, Calabar.
The victim’s grand mother and the rapist are said to be first cousins, an affinity that is feared to be capable of compromising the case.
According to the victim’s grand mother “the children are used to calling him grandpa and playing around him; he doesn’t joke with them, I don’t know what came over him. They were playing around and suddenly, when I came out of the house, I asked the mother, where is Xxx, and she said, they are playing around. I now sat down under the tree, shortly Xxx and the other little boy came out of his house and she was walking as if something was wrong with her, when I asked her what happened to her, she said grandpa put his finger into my boo boo. I was shocked.”
“I observed her and noticed her pant was stained with blood and now raised alarm and involved the police”
The IPO handling the matter Inspector Louisa Effanga stated that “the alleged rapist confessed to the crime. He said he was under the influence of alcohol, this he said before the Akim Divisional Police Officer, DPO. But later denied raping the child”
Medical report sighted by MDF shows that the victim has some bruises on her private part.
The file has been moved to the legal unit of the state police headquarters for onward persecution.
Recall that the anti-rape crusader, Dr. Linda Ayade under her Mediatrix intervention has reached 10,000 persons with rights and justice awareness, has 5 rape cases under investigation, 2 rape cases prosecuted and the offenders cooling their feet at Afokang prison, 1 rape victim rehabilitated and reintegrated back to school with her school fees paid.
The issue of rape over the years has been grossly under reported, you are encouraged to reach Mediatrix Development Foundation via: mediatrixfoundation@gmail.com or call Mediatrix Communication Assistant on 08121032474 in case of any rape case around you and be sure that the matter will be handled with the highest form of confidentiality.
