The police have arrested a 70-year-old man in Akpoha, Ebonyi state, Simon Alobu, for allegedly hypnotizing and repeatedly raping a 7-year-old orphan, Favour. Favour was first raped in 2014 and since then, the man has allegedly been raping her. The suspect tore Favour’s bottom with razor blade where he presumably apply some charms to prevent the girl from revealing his identity until the girl revealed his illicit acts on her after attending a crusade at Adoration Ministry, Enugu owned by a Charismatic Catholic Priest Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
Favour is facing health challenges with a body odour following the rape. She is yet to be given adequate medical treatment. Alobu was handed over to the police by a special court in the state known as family law centre where the matter was reported by Favour’s aunt, Enya Martha.The man married three wives and has 14 children. None of the wives and children are living with him. One of his wives was divorced while another is dead. The remaining one left him and went to her son who is living outside the area.
The suspect lives in the same compound with the girl and her aunt and was reported to the centre by the victim’s aunt Enya Martha who alleged that the man also raped her when she was a little girl.Narrating her ordeal in the hands of Alobu, the victim said “the man said I should come and prepare food for him. After preparing the food, my brother who was with me said he was not eating and left immediately.
When my brother left and I was still eating, the man locked the door and carried me to his bed and raped me”. The girl’s aunt, became aware of Favours condition after she complained of severe pains in her private.According to the woman, she took the girl to Afikpo where the rape was confirmed why efforts to make her reveal the identity of the rapist failed as he continued the act till this year.The suspect confessed that he has had carnal knowledge of the girl and that he did it under the influence of alcohol. He, however, denied that he also raped Favour’s aunt when she was tender.