TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The driver of the Sienna vehicle boarded the 23 years old widow, who was allegedly abducted and raped by a policeman, has accused the officer of threatening to shoot them.
The driver, who was simply identified as Lucky, disclosed that the woman was actually arrested for not putting on nose mask by the police officers stationed around Saakpenwa junction in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, contrary to claim by the officers that she came to visit the suspect, Inspector Peter Ebah.
The driver explained that he loaded his vehicle at Bori in Khana Local Government Area of the state, but the officers stopped them at the Saakpenwa junction.
Lucky disclosed that he gave her his nose mask after they discovered that the police officers were arresting people who did not wear nose mask.
He stated that the police said they have arrested her already and would not let her go even though the driver just gave her nose mask.
He explained: “I gave the lady one of the nose masks with me. The police officers said if we like, we (passengers) should give her all the nose masks; that they have arrested her”.
Mr. lucky revealed that despite the plea by other passengers of the Sienna Toyota to let her go because it was getting late, the police officers refused.
According to lucky, the officers threatened to shoot the tyres of the vehicle, if he did not leave.
The driver said at that point, he had to leave the place and continued the journey without the widow
“We begged and begged, even two old women in the vehicle knelt down and pleaded it was getting late (around 7pm).
“It was when the officers said they will shoot our four tyres that I carried the other passengers and left, leaving the lady behind”, Lucky disclosed.
It would be recalled that the four officers had claimed last Thursday in a meeting in the office of the Police Public Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Nnamdi Omoni that the widow was not arrested for not putting on nose mask.
They reportedly claimed that the mother of two alighted from the vehicle at the place to visit the said Inspector Ebah, based on their agreement when she left Bori.
The suspect said from that point, their journey began to where they had consensual sex, denying abducting or raping her.
However, the widow had earlier told newsmen that she was arrested for not putting on nose mask and instead of the Police to take her to the station, he diverted to a guest house, where she was allegedly raped till daybreak by Ebah.
It would be recalled that the spokesperson of Rivers State Police command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Nnamdi Omoni, last Thursday said the Police officers are serving at MOPOL 56 at Saakpenwa, not Saakpenwa Police Station as insinuated.
Omoni disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Mukan, has ordered that the case file be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation after which the outcome of the investigation will be made public.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in the state, has called for thorough investigation of the alleged abduction and rape of the 23 years old widow by a policeman for not wearing a face mask.
Vice Chairman of NBA in Rivers, Anthonia Osademe, said the rape survivor has reported the matter to the Human Rights Desk of NBA.