Thirty-four-year-old suspect, Louis Akandeji, who defiled a four-year-old girl, in a Delta community is still in police custody, Commissioner of Police, Delta Command has refuted.
This is coming against the backdrop of some online reports claiming that the culprit, who is in the custody of A’ Division, Warri Police Command, has been released by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) without trial.
Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, who refuted the claim on behalf of the Command, in a statement on Friday, said such publication could set the public against the police.
He warned online media outfits, especially the one-man-owned online media platforms, to desist from publishing unsubstantiated stories online to avoid heating the polity and denigrating the image of the police.
“The attention of the Command has been drawn to a recent online publication credited to one Joe Israel in various social media platforms alleging that the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri released one Louis Okandeji who was arrested for allegedly defiling a three-year-old girl (name withheld) in Ogunu community, Warri Delta State.
“The Command wishes to state clearly that the victim is four years old and not three years old as alleged by the publisher.
“The said Suspect LOUIS OKANDEJI ‘m’ 34yrs was arrested for the offence of defilement on 1st June 2021, after the mother of the victim reported at ‘A’ Division Warri that her daughter who is four yrs old was allegedly defiled on the 1st of May 2021 by the said suspect.
“At no time did the Police release the alleged suspect as he is still in custody. The case is currently under investigation.
“Members of the public are urged to ignore any report contrary to the fact stated above, as such post is only aimed at discrediting the image of the Command by some disgruntled elements who are only bent on sabotaging the effort of the Delta State Police Command and also put the image of the Police in a bad light.
“The CP urges online media handlers and other publishers to always contact the Delta State Police public relations officer for clarification before publishing their stories that bother on police and security so that wrong information will not be passed to members of the public.
“While also warning those faceless groups without any professional ethics whose goal is to pull down the good effort of the command, the command will ensure that those who derive pleasure in spreading fake news are arrested and made to face the wrath of the law,” he vowed.
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