The women, identified as Chinyere, Ijeoma and Theresa, said they had been kept in that condition because of a “deadly” oath they had with their husband, when they were married to him.
Obiwenite, the accused, a native of Abacha community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was arrested for defiling his 12-year-old daughter, after a raid on his home. The raid was carried out following a tipoff from a member of the community.
The state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, was said to have led the raid on the home of the accused last week, where the 12-year-old girl alongside her other siblings were also rescued after they were found to have been locked up in a room for over five years.
It was gathered that the accused was married to 11 wives, but no one was still living with him.
The suspect was arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka on March 23, where he was remanded at the Correctional Centre Amawbia.
His wives, who spoke to journalists in Awka on Wednesday, said, “Once he married any of us, he would force us to swear an oath with him that no man would touch us again. He will then get us pregnant and once he is done, he will send us packing.
“When we begged him to destroy the oath he made us swear or for us to be coming to see our children, he refused. He does not even consider our feelings as women.
“He has sent us packing for five years now and from that time till now, we have not been able to have sex.
“It is not even the evil things that he does with our children that are paining us most, but the oath that is preventing us from enjoying sexual relationships with anyone for the past four years.”
The women said it was during the raid on the suspect’s house that he was summoned to break the oath he had with them, after their several cries for liberation.
After breaking the oath, the suspect then asked the women to go, that they were free from all the charms he used to hold them and that they could now have sexual relationships with any man they wanted.
The women expressed excitement at their ‘freedom’ and that the suspect was arrested and taken to the police detention facility in Awka, from where he would be making appearances in court, to answer for his crimes.
