There was a commotion in Akute Odo, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, after a 62-year-old man, identified only as Wadada, allegedly defiled a five-year-old girl.

The victim, who stayed with her mother in a church, had gone to fetch water at the suspect’s borehole when she was defiled.

He was alleged to have pacified her with N20.

The victim’s mother, upon seeing the money, reportedly queried how she came about it and she confessed that it was given to her by the suspect after defiling her.

Wadada was reportedly seized by some angry residents, who dragged him before the traditional ruler of the community.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victim’s mother was asked to allow the community to handle the case.

He added that the single mother was threatened with eviction from her church abode if she went public with the matter or reported to the police.

The resident noted that the suspect had been caught many times in the past for a similar offence.

He said,

“The girl’s father is late. She stays with her mother in a church in the neighbourhood. The man has a borehole around the church, where he sells water to people.

“The girl was sent on an errand when he lured her on Friday. He inserted his fingers into her private parts and broke her hymen, as blood gushed out. He tried to use a piece of cloth to clean up the blood and gave her N20.

“When she returned home, her mother saw the money and asked where she got it from. She said Wadada gave her. She asked what she did for him to warrant such a kind gesture. She did not want to talk initially but later opened up. Her mother opened her pants and found bloodstains in her private parts.”

The source said when the suspect was challenged, he owned up to the crime.

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He was allegedly taken before the traditional ruler of the community.

The victim’s mother was asked not to inform the police, as she also confessed helplessness over lack of funds.

A source alleged that Wadada, who hailed from Ogun State, was a serial child molester, adding that he was protected by the community because he was a native.

“The last time he was caught, he was asked to sign an undertaking that if he was caught again, he would be banished from the community and he would forfeit his property.

“So, when he was caught this time, the community appeared to be more interested in banishing him and selling off his property than giving the victim justice and maybe compensation.

“The community leaders have been telling the mother to allow them to handle it the traditional way. The woman also agreed because she did not know the implication of what the man did to her daughter,” the source added.

Some residents were reported to have counselled the mother and assisted her with transport fare to the nearest police station.

Our correspondent gathered that there were pressures on the police to drop the case against the suspect.

A rights lawyer, Okere Onyekachi, said he spoke with the Divisional Crime Officer and the Investigating Police Officer, adding that they assured him that justice would be done.

He said,

“The IPO told me that they would not drop the case because they also got information that it was the eighth time that he would be committing the offence.

“I told them that the offence was against the state and they should not allow anything to sway them from the path of justice. The police said they would do their best because they even foot the bills for the medical tests.”

The case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Efforts to get the state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, to react to the story since on Monday were abortive.

He had also yet to respond to enquiries on the incident on Thursday.

But the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the case, saying it had been transferred to the SCIID, Eleweran.

“We learnt that it was not his first time, although the previous cases were not reported to the police. He usually tricked his victims with small things. We will ensure justice is served. The case has been transferred to the SCIID, Eleweran,” she added.