In a significant development, the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Anambra State Police Command, has apprehended a 31-year-old man identified as James Rich. Rich stands accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl, a resident of Awka, the capital of Anambra State.

According to a press statement released by Chidinmma Ikeanyionwu, the Media Aide to the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, the suspect, who hails from Cross River State, resides in Awka and serves as a yardman at St. Michaels and All Angels Anglican Church, Ifite-Awka.

During the interrogation, Rich admitted to the reprehensible act, acknowledging his involvement in the defilement and subsequent pregnancy of the 14-year-old girl. He disclosed that these acts occurred on Sunday mornings within the church premises, totaling approximately three instances. Additionally, Rich confessed to providing the victim with N200 after each occurrence for the purchase of biscuits.

Despite being married with two children and expecting a third, the suspect resides within the church premises where he conducts his daily activities. He pleaded for leniency, attributing the incident to a momentary lapse in judgment.

The victim, who grapples with developmental challenges, corroborated the suspect’s account, detailing the Sunday morning assaults that transpired prior to the 6:30 a.m. church service.

Expressing her reaction to the distressing incident, Commissioner Ify Obinabo affirmed that the case would be promptly taken to court to ensure justice for the young girl. She issued a stern warning to adults, urging them to refrain from defiling young girls, particularly minors, emphasizing that such actions would result in severe legal consequences, including imprisonment. The Commissioner underscored the state’s unwavering commitment to preventing and punishing such heinous crimes.