S#xual abuse: I was ridiculed, humiliated, treated as a criminal..,Says father of two demanding for justice
By Ifeoma Ikem
Sexual abuse is a major challenge in the society with many cases recorded daily. While most of them are unreported to appropriate authorities, some victims and their families do come forward, but receive no justice, as the accused are not duly punished.
A middle aged father, businessman, Mr Samuel Okpala has boldly approached a non-governmental organisation known as Advocate For Children and Valuable Persons Network (ACVPN) for justice, where he narrated his ordeal; how he was humiliated and detained for two weeks at Panti, in the year 2019, which affected his business.
According to him,it was over two years since the incident occured but the pain of the injustice he suffered remained. He was unlawfully detained for two weeks without committing any crime. Worse, his children were sexually abused by his ex-wife Niece..
Narrating his story, he said he was separated from his ex-wife, who was given custody of their two children, 5 and 7 years old, with access equally granted to him too.
“I remarried after the separation. During a holiday, my children came to spend it with me. Within three days, I noticed unusual behavior from my younger daughter who was exhibiting a very wrong behavior. I kept watch on her and immediately drew the attention of their mother about my observation but she defended them.
So I had to involved the authorities that I could and to invite my ex wife because the character (of the child) was strange to me. I contacted the (Advocates for children and Vulnerable persons Network ACVPN Isolo welfare, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and social Development MYSD, Alausa Ikeja Child protection Unit, Lagos State Domestic Violence Response Team DSVRT, the Ikotun police station Family support unit FSU, and the Isheri Sound police station Alimoso LGA. She did not honour the invitation until it was transferred to the Gender Anti-Human Trafficking Unit SCID Panti.
When the case was transfered to Panti, The former OC Gender Anti-Human Trafficking Unit SCID PANTI in person of Mrs. Margaret Ighodalo demanded for from me to part with N100,000 before it was reduced to N50,000 of which I refused because I was not the offender rather I was reporting the crime and I did not know what the money was meant for. Then I was asked to meet former DCP SCID Panti. Getting to the office, I met my ex wife who was not cooperating right from the day this matter was reported to the authorities that were supposed to handle the case until it was transferred to Panti.
Narrating further, “Surprisingly, as I steppped inside the office, I met my ex wife and I was informed that my ex wife alleged that when we were together as husband and wife, I sexually abused her niece who was living with us before we separated.
“The former DCP SCID Panti ordered them to detain me, without asking any questions or investigating what my ex wife alleged or talking to the authorities that invited her earlier but she refused to honour until the case was transferred.
“My ex wife framed me. I was ridiculed, humiliated and treated as a criminal; my finger print and picture was taken yet justice has not been served, he added.
However findings reveal that based on Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) report, Lagos State Ministry of Justice Alausa, Ikeja, advised that Samuel Okpala be exonerated while his ex wife and her niece be prosecuted based on the CECEYARA CHILDRENS FOUNDATION Forensic interview report which showed that the girl’s (Okpala’s child) unusual behavior was as a result of the lesbianism the ex wife’s niece subjected the little girl to.
Two years later and nothing has been heard of this case. Samuel OKPALA was a former Student Union member of University of Nigeria Nsulka, UNN. An Engineer by profession.
