The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 52-year-old man, Paul Akpederi, over continuous rape of his 15-year-old daughter for three years.
The Delta indigene, who lives on Adegbite Street, Ori-Okuta, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, is said to have started the act shortly after separating from the girl’s mother.
Akpederi started sexually abusing Rose when she was in junior secondary school 3.
When the secret got to the knowledge of one of Rose’s teacher, her father quickly changed her school in a desperate attempt to cover up the crime.
He subsequently continued the abuse until she got to senior secondary school 2 in her new school.
Akpederi was arrested after Rose’s former teacher ran into her sometime in October 2017, and told a friend about it who then alerted the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) through the agency’s social media platform.
A member of the OPD team who visited the victim’s school said the teenager initially denied the defilement and attempted to exonerate her father.
“She kept lying and when we didn’t get a breakthrough, we got in touch with the mandatory reporter (teacher) who then assisted us in trailing her to her parent’s house. The police arrested the man and rescued the girl,” the official said.
“During interrogation at the police station, Rose again denied that anything happened. Her father suddenly became aggressive and said his permission was not taken before his daughter was interviewed
“The girl was taken to OPD’s office at Ikorodu, where she opened up to an officer. She has been taken to a home in Ijede, where she was placed in a shelter and protective custody.”
Tests carried out on the girl showed that her hymen was broken and there were signs of “continuous penetration” of her private parts.
The father finally confessed to his crime, telling a police officer, “Oga, I am in your hands o”.
Director of the OPD, Olubukola Salami, confirmed the incident, adding that the agency would pursue the case to the end.
“We cannot stop re-emphasising the zero tolerance of the Lagos State Government for domestic and sexual abuse. OPD is alarmed at the high rate of incidents of sexual abuse, especially by people of trust. OPD is not only interested in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators, it is also interested in curbing this rising trend,” Mrs Salami said.
Lagos State police spokesperson, Olarinde Famous- Cole, said the suspect will soon be arraigned in court.
