He was picked up on Sunday, June 13, and is currently being detained at the Ozuoba Police Division, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, Mr. Boma Totty, an uncle to the nine-year-old who is almost 13-years now said the suspect (Preye) had in December 2019 come to the house of his female lover but met her absence.
Totty said the suspect took advantage of the situation and allegedly defiled the lover’s niece who was 9-year-old at the time.
According to Totty, My immediate younger sister who is 30-years has a man friend that normally comes to the house to see her.
“There was a certain day he came to the house in December 2019 and it was only the little niece that was at home.
“So he grabbed her and had sex with her severally. She was nine years old then. Thereafter he took her to the boot of his car and brought out some fetish stuff.
“He brought out calabash, salt, pepper and powder and told her to swear that if she ever reveals what was happening that she and everybody in her family will die,” he said.
He said the girl cooperated with Preye out of fear by accepting to take the oath and the latter continued to have his way with the gurl.
“Sometimes she will open the door for him to come in and they will have sex. One of those days, she normally comes to the house with expensive things like jewelries and necklace .
“So we started asking her where she was getting those things. She refused to say anything. So my elder sister now went to the school to find out some things.
“She later discovered that the girl has been going to school with money, sometimes N5, 000, N6, 000 and buying things for people.
“That Friday as she came back from school, we started interrogating her and after much petting, she now opened up that it was uncle Preye that has been molesting her.
“So, yesterday (Sunday) evening, my sister now sent him (Preye) a text that she should come and pay her money or she will report him to his family.
“So he came to negotiate the money with her. So when he came we held him and handed him over to the police.
“Right now the case is handled by the Ozuoba police station. All we want is for justice to prevail,” he stated
Reacting to the incident, the Chairperson, Legal Care Advocacy Foundation, Barr Janes James, called on the police to ensure a thorough investigation into the matter.
She said the organisation will follow up on the issue to ensure that justice is served.
“The police that is having him in custody should carry out every necessary investigation and if found culpable, let him be made to face the law.
“We are ready and willing to go all out to see the end of this matter,” she stated.
When contacted, the acting spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was yet to get the report of the incident.
She, however, promised to contact the concerned police station and give our reporter feedback but was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
