ROBBERS RAPE WOMAN IN HUSBAND'S PRESENCE

robbers raped 35-year-old in husband’s presence By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City Residents of Ogida quarters in Benin City were shocked last Saturday when they woke to see a house wife (names withheld) shouting and pleading for help. They rushed to the house only to discover that the woman was raped by three young men who stormed the house at about 3am. They further discovered the victim’s husband who was tied by the robbers and pushed under the bed. Saturday Vanguard learn that the suspects Peter Anigboro (25 years old), Lucky Williams (22) and Olise Friday, forced the door of the residence of the victim open with an impoverished gun and a dagger. Rapists The suspects immediately went for the husband, whom they tied his legs and hands after which he was pushed under the bed. After taking care of the husband, they went for the wife whom Saturday Vanguard learns was their original target. It was gathered that the robbers have been monitoring her movement for some days before they struck last Saturday. It was learnt that they requested her to declare the money she sold that day from her recharge card which she quickly obliged. The robbers further requested for recharge cards, hand sets and other valuables. While they were threatening, the victim pleaded that they should not kill her. But to her greatest shock, they pounced on her and started undressing her warning that she will be killed if she tried to resist them. The leader of the gang, Peter Anikoro was the first to rape her and while he was doing that, his mask pulled off and that was when the victim saw the face of her attacker. Peter is a neighour who resides in the opposite building. However, after taking his turn, others followed suit. As if the suspects were destined to meet their waterloo that same day, they attacked another house around that same Ogida quarters where they met a 60 year-old woman and attempted to rape her too. The woman pleaded with them, and though she was not raped, they fiddled with her private part and carted away hand sets and cash from the house. Luck ran out with the rampaging robbers when Peter took other members of the gang to his uncle’s house at Siluko road to rob. Unfortunately for them, they could not gain access to the house due to the protector. But through the window, they were able to cart away a hand set. But some body spotted them and raised an alarm which attracted the attention of members of the vigilante group in the area. They gave the robbers a hot chase and with the arrival of policemen on patrol, they were apprehended. The Assistant Public Relations Officer of the state Command, ASP Ahwara Ejiroro, who paraded the suspects last Monday, said they confessed to have been involved in several robbery operations and have raped several other women in the past. According to him, “they operate with impoverish guns and daggers and their victims will think they have a real gun while they also threaten with the daggers. As if what they did that same night was not enough, Peter who is the leader of the gang took them to his uncle’s house to rob and that was where they were apprehended. They will be charged to court for rape and armed robbery”. Leader of the gang Peter, confessed to Saturday Vanguard: “I don’t have a job so what I did that day was to call two of my friends and told them that we are going to operate that night. We met around 9pm in a palmwine joint close to the house. We moved to the place around 3am when everybody had gone to bed. We were monitoring her movement from the wine bar”. Asked why they decided to rape the victim, Peter said “it was devil’s work. We did not know when we did it”. When asked why they could not rape the 60- year woman, their second victim, he explained that “she was crying and begging us. So we felt sorry for her. We only fingered her and left the house”. In another development, the police in Benin also arrested a 73 year old grand father for using a kitchen knife to stab to death a 27 year old man, Gabriel Amayahu Aigbosuria. The suspect, Williams Omobude Uwadia was arrested at the scene of crime shortly after the alleged murder. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the suspect had earlier in the day had a disagreement with the deceased following which he went to the nearest police Division in Benin City to effect his arrest, a situation which made the police to follow him for the arrest, but unknown to them that he had a kitchen knife on him. As the policemen were trying to mediate on the matter, the suspect was alleged to have suddenly brought a knife and stabbed the 27 year old man. The complainant then turned accused as he was arrested by the police and transferred to the state CID, Benin for further investigation. Ejiroro who expressed shock over the incident confirmed the arrest and said the state police homicide section was already investigating the murder case, just as he assured that the police will get to the root of the matter. Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly has called on the Inspector General of Police to appoint a substantive Commissioner of Police in the state with a view to help curb crime in the state. The Majority Leader of the House, Philip Shuaibu, who reiterated this call to Saturday Vanguard, shortly after the abduction of the lawmaker representing Esan Central constituency, Mr Victor Edora, lamented that the state needs a substantive CP to be able to fight crime head on. Acording to him, “we are not happy that each day people are kidnapped or robbed in different parts of the country. There have been incessant robbery operations along the by-pass and it seems the police is helpless about it. We are appealing to the IG of Police to assist us because we need an effective policing of the entire state to be able to check crime effectively”.