A retired fire service officer in Delta State, Okonjie Awulo, has allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the State.

It was gathered that the officer who in his late 60s was arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim’s father, Mr Oyenka Chukwuka, but was immediately granted bail.

Awulo offered the teenager N500 to shut her mouth. But could not bear the pain, hence she opened up.

Narrating the incident, the victim’s grandmother, Mrs Felicia Utulu, said “the suspect forcefully dragged the girl into his room and raped her to the extent that blood was sluicing down on her body.

“I discovered my granddaughter’s movement and behaviour had changed completely and I, therefore, subjected her to questions.

“I insisted to know why my granddaughter was behaving funny but instead of saying something, she ran to her father, and opened up to him about how she was sexually abused by my brother who threatened to kill her if she ever tells anyone.”

The grandmother added that the girl’s father reported the matter to the police at Ogwashi-Uku, but lamented the manner the suspect was granted bail after the victim’s father had collected N40,000 from him.

meanwhile, the victim’s father, Mr Oyenka Chukwuka said he didn’t collect Kobo from Awulo, and that he was in Owerri, Imo State when the Police granted the suspect bail.

“The N40,000 Awulo paid to the family was part of the money spent at the hospital where my daughter is being treated, we still need more money to treat her.

“I was surprised when my daughter told me that she was raped by her mother’s brother.

“When she told me, I threatened to kill whoever was involved but was advised to report the matter to the Police which I did and quickly went to Police Area command, Ogwashi-Uku and formally lodged the report” he explained.