The suspect allegedly defiled a 16-year-old girl at Apu Road, Rukpoku in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

It was gathered that he escaped from the IPO attached to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port Harcourt, when they visited the scene of the crime, as part of investigation procedures.

The suspect was earlier arrested by Police operatives, Rumudomaya and transfered to the SCIID, Port Harcourt last week.

Narrating the development, father of the victim, who is simply identified as Mr. Prince, disclosed to journalists that when they got to the scene of the crime, which is their compound, the suspect who was not handcuffed by the IPO, was finding it difficult to open the padlock used in locking his door.

Prince said he suggested that a hammer would be useful in breaking the padlock, so, he took permission from the IPO and went to his apartment to bring the object.

The victim’s father disclosed that when he brought the hammer, he saw the IPO coming downstairs since the suspect’s apartment is upstairs and the IPO informed him that the suspect has escaped.

Prince said, hearing this, he ran towards the direction the IPO claimed the suspect followed, but did not see the suspect, Goodnews.

Meanwhile, a lawyer, Gbenga Oladapo, who is the Executive Director of Lawyers Watch Justice International Initiative, has described the development as ridiculous.

He expressed: “It is extremely ridiculous that the Police would come out to say that.This is not just negligence, it is a betrayal of the victim, her family and every Nigeria child, who deserves protection under the law.

“The Police should do everything in their power to declare a manhunt to re-arrest this man and make sure he faces the law in record time.

“They would deem to have failed the public, they would deem to have denied the victim justice if the suspect is not re-arrested and this is not good for the entire society and particularly the Nigerian child,” Mr Oladapo said.

State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), has confirmed the incident to journalists.

She was quoted, saying: “Efforts are on to re-arrest the fleeing suspect as investigation is ongoing.”(The Sun)

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