A human rights and good governance advocacy group, Make A Difference, MAD has called on the Inspector-General of Police to declare one Livinus Elem wanted for his suspected involvement in the gang rape and murder of an undergraduate of University of Benin, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa.
In a statement issued by its Communication and Advocacy Director, Lemmy Ughegbe, MAD said “by his own free will statement on his Facebook page, Livinus Elem has admitted to knowing fully about the acts that led to Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa being raped and killed.”
In his reaction to a news report on Miss Omozuwa’s gruesome killing, Livinus Elem posted on Facebook thus: “Good for her. Why will she be dating two roommates the same time?” Following abuse and condemnation by other Facebook users, Elem has pulled down the post and deactivated the account.
MAD however argues that “Elem’s statement disclosed prima facie evidence, warranting the police high command to arrest him and investigate him for complicity in the gang rape and murder of Miss Omozuwa. There should be no distinction between an apologist of the rapist and the rapist proper. At worst the apologist is an enabler of sexual violence and ought to be arrested, investigated and if need be, prosecuted for accessory before the fact of and conspiracy to commit murder”.
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MAD noted with grave concern how the Inspector-General of Police had allegedly treated with levity cases of other sexual violence acts and rape and called on him to turn a new leaf.
Specifically, it recalled the failure of the Police Chief to declare one Victor Ogbuja wanted for conspiring with his father Andrew Ogbuja to serially rape and sodomise Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje in Benue State for 5 years until she died at age 13, owing to health complication as a result of long years of violation.
Ogbuja has been on the run from the law for nearly 2 years following the death of Ochanya. He was initially charged alongside his father, Andrew for rape and culpable homicide. But the charge was severed following his disappearance to enable the trial of his father proceed.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
