Nsikak Akpan, a local businessman in the community of Betem in Akwa Ibom State, was arrested on Tuesday, September 10, for allegedly raping his tenant’s 1-year-old child.
As reported by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), according to ThankGod Arong, vice president of the Betem Youths Council, the incident occurred when the victim was playing with the suspect’s 7-year-old son.
Akpan, a man in his 50s who is married with grown children, allegedly instructed his son to keep quiet about what was about to happen.
Community members became alarmed when they heard the infant’s cries.
Upon investigation, they discovered evidence of sexual assault, prompting immediate action.
The child was taken to a nearby pharmacy, where physical evidence was reportedly found, confirming the assault.
Akpan was said to have attempted to bribe community youths with 5 million naira to silence them.
However, the youth council refused the offer and handed him over to the police.
“When the lady picked up the child, she went to a nearby pharmacy, where they found sperm on the child and blood. The child could not talk but was just bleeding furiously,” Arong narrated.
“Then they approached the man but he tried to deny it until the youths came to the bush, on his own farm, and he said he would pay. He said, even if it was N5 million, he would pay. But they refused. They now called me. That’s when they knew that the matter couldn’t die down. We learnt that he’s fond of doing that and that it was the fourth time.
“When they got him, he confessed. The son confirmed that it was the father, who did it. And the man also confessed and started pleading that he would pay. Obviously, he feels everything is about money,” Arong said.
Unconfirmed reports are suggesting this may not be Akpan’s first offence.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Calabar, Cross River State.
However, concerns have been raised about the handling of the case, with fears of potential interference due to attempted bribery.
When SP Irene Ugbo, the Cross River PPRO, was contacted for comments, she said she was not aware of a case like that.
“There’s no case like that here, please,” Ugbo told FIJ on Thursday, September.
