The proprietor of a school in Abuja, Emmanuel Matthew, reported his accuser to the police before investigation led to him being charged with inducement and rape, a court has been told.
Emmanuel, the Proprietor of Emmabeth Academy, Mpape, Abuja, was arraigned before an FCT High Court in Maitama in 2012 on a six-count charge bordering on inducement and rape, which ran contrary to Sections 283 and 285 of the Penal Code.
At the last hearing of the case, one of the victims, a 14-year-old girl, had given evidence before the court as to how the defendant raped her while she was seven years old. She had alleged that Matthew forcibly inserted his finger into her private part and also had carnal knowledge of her elder sister, who was then nine years old, and another schoolmate who was also a minor.
When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, a Police Sergeant, Onoja Joseph, testifying as the sixth prosecution witness, informed the court that Matthew reported one Mary Paul of accusing him of touching the private parts of her daughters.
Joseph stated that the defendant, who is also said to be a pastor with Winners Chapel, came to the Mpape Divisional Police headquarters on March 23, 2012, at about 10:00am to make a complaint against Mary Paul.
He said the defendant reported that “one Mary Paul came to his house and accused him of touching the private parts of her two children.”
He said Paul was invited by the police, adding that she came along with the two children.
He informed that Paul stated that the children came back from school and informed her that the defendant took them to his room and touched their private parts.
The sergeant added that one of the children made a statement to the police in which she stated that the defendant took them to his room, laid them on the bed, removed his boxers and touched their private parts.
He added that the child further stated that there was a red window blind, wooden bed, among others, in the defendant’s room.
“I visited the house with them. The items listed were confirmed to be in the room of the defendant,” Joseph informed.
The witness further informed that the children also mentioned the name of one Favour as a victim, adding that the said Favour and one Mary were also invited by the police.
Sergeant Joseph said while the police sent the victims to hospital for medical examination, the original paper was sent to the Ministry of Justice.
He stated that at the hospital, one of the children further stated that after touching her private part, the defendant also used his manhood to touch her.
The witness added that the statement of the defendant, which he signed by himself, was taken by the police.
Meanwhile, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to September 19, for cross examination of the witness.
