A 39-year-old father of three, Ekpeyong Essien, has been apprehended for raping a nine-year-old girl, Bright Benjamin, at Hawkins Primary School in the Calabar South area of Calabar, Cross River State capital, but his reasons are rather more shocking.
Essien, an indigene of Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State, said his two sons, whom he alleged are witches, pushed him into committing the crime on Sunday, July 12, 2015.
According to him, the victim sought his help for some money to transport herself home but rather than giving her the money, he lured her to a nearby primary school where he used his fingers to defile her.
The father of three said ever since his neighbours bewitched his two sons, he no longer made meaning out of his life.
Essien is currently cooling his heels in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Cross River State Police Command at Diamond Hill in Calabar and would soon be charged to court.
Speaking with Southern City News on Thursday, July 30, 2015 Essien said a security man caught him right in the act after he lured the unsuspecting girl to a corner in the primary school.
He said, “It was the handiwork of witches. Someone bewitched my children and my children in turn used what they have been given to affect my life negatively. The person who bewitched my children lives in our compound. What my children are doing with the witchcraft is to ensure that I become useless in life.
“When I saw the girl, I called her and she followed me. I touched her a little before she followed me to Hawkins Primary School area in Calabar South. The place is close to the Hawkins cemetery and when I saw her, she was actually behind some group of persons that were going to the cemetery to bury someone.
“She wanted me to give her transport fare back to her home. That was how I lured her with a promise to give her money. I have grown up children older than her. I do not know how she got attracted to me at that moment because I believe I was under the spell of my children’s devilish practice.
“When I took her to one side of the school, I started romancing her. I did not force her to follow me, she did willingly. It was raining at that time. I had not seen her before. I only saw her on that day. I only fiddled with her private part, we had not really started making love before one security man in the school raised the alarm and I was caught.
“I used to play football in one of the local clubs but my children stopped me through their devilish practice. I am not the only one that is accusing my children of practising witchcraft; other tenants in the compound also know.
“I wish I could see the girl’s father to beg him. I am willing to pay any amount that they have spent on her in the hospital. I am really regretting my action because I have never had a criminal record before.”
Confirming the incident, the state Police spokesperson, Mr. Hogan Bassey, said the medical report of a test carried out on the girl showed she sustained bruises on her vagina which was a clear proof that she had been defiled.
He said, “Because the suspect tried to penetrate and could not succeed, he used his fingers to defile her and based on the medical report, the girl has been defiled. The report showed bruises all over her vagina.
“He actually heard the footsteps of someone coming and he ran away. The security man raised the alarm and he was caught. He is still under investigation and will soon be charged to court as soon as that is completed.”
