The heart of man is desperately wicked.” This Biblical expression came to the fore once again recently as a 16-year-old boy (name withheld) defiled a nine-year-old school girl, who was on her way home from school in company with her friends at Adekile area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
That fateful Friday, Victoria, and two other friends, Mariam and Rukayat, dropped their school bags on their playing field as they played a ‘hide and seek’ game.
The children were enjoying their game until the suspect came like a wolf to attack them. But his approach did not suggest that he contemplated any evil. He took the girls’ bags and left for the mission house, where he lives with his mother and elder brother.
Since he was home alone, he was able to hatch his plan without any hindrance. The girls ran down to the suspect’s house, asking for their bags. The youngster insisted that one of them must come into the room to collect the bags.
But the girls would not play along easily. They insisted that he should bring out their bags so that they could go home. As the plea degenerated into confusion, the boy released two bags. But he still held Victoria’s bag.
The hapless young girl begged and prayed, but his assailant would not let go. She pleaded that her parents would be mad at her if she got home late, but all the pleas fell on the suspect’s deaf ears. At last, she obliged and went into the room with him..
It was already too late before help came her way. The desperate boy had his way as the girl struggled and writhed in pain. She was drenched with blood. Victoria was deflowered at a tender age of nine by the young rapist. As she walked out of the mission house sobbing, a woman walked up to her. She recounted her story to the woman with tears rolling down her cheeks. The woman eventually took her home and broke the sad news to her parents.
Nothing could console the poor girl and her family. They reported the case at the Agugu Police Station and the suspect was arrested. He was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, for further interrogation.
The doctor’s report indicated that the victim suffered some lacerations on her private part and her hymen was broken. The report reads, “Patient brought in by her parents. Hymen just broken – newly bleeding. There are areas of abrasions. She appeared dusty and anxious. Sticky substance found around her private part.”
The boy confessed that he lured the girl into the room in order to rape her. He, however, said he could not penetrate the minor and therefore, ejaculated on her waist. He said, “It was the work of the devil; the devil used me.”
