S-XUAL ABUSE: How Victims Parents Protect Suspects From Getting Prosecuted - Human Rights Commission Laments

The Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Commission, Mr. Onyekachi Okorie, revealed that some parents of victims prefer to get suspects who molested their children released from custody instead of getting justice.

Okorie who cited a recent case of a 51-year-old man who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl, said; the Commission came across the incident via a post on the Child Protection Network's WhatsApp forum detailing the alleged abominable act and immediately swung into action.

He expressed disappointment that parents of the victim and relatives of the suspected culprit were clamoring for the release of the suspect and opposing proper investigation of the matter and possible prosecution.

"Our greatest challenge is that the parents of the girl, who is the victim, and relatives of the suspect, are pleading with the Commission to close the case so that the families of both parties can go and settle at home. This has been the situation in many cases but we are determined not to let the alleged culprit go freeÔÇØ Okorie said.

He maintained that such attitude from parents only hinder proper investigation and prosecution by the Commission.

Okorie charged parents to cooperate with the law enforcement agents and the state Ministry of Justice to avoid being charged with conspiracy or aiding and abetting crime against a minor.