Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Children, Sexual and Gender‑based Violence Offences Court in Awka, Anambra State, has remanded a 46‑year‑old bricklayer, Rapuruchukwu Ezenandu, who allegedly defiled his 17‑year‑old daughter and infected her with HIV. The accused appeared before Chief Magistrate Mrs. U.E. Onochie on May 13, 2026, facing a single‑count charge of defilement. He pleaded for mercy, saying it was the devil’s handiwork and that he had lost count of how many times he had slept with his own child.
The horrific case came to light after the victim’s uncle, who resides in Lagos, visited the family’s village of Umudala in the Nanka community of Orumba North Local Government Area. On April 18, 2026, the uncle took the young girl back with him to Lagos to help her continue her education. But when he began the admission process for her new school, officials required a medical report as part of the enrolment procedure. The results were devastating: the girl tested positive for HIV. Confronted with the news, the teenager tearfully revealed a dark secret she had kept locked inside for two years. She said her father had been sexually abusing her since she was 15 years old.
Horrified, the uncle returned with her to Anambra and confronted the suspect. According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Chinyere Okechukwu, the father reportedly admitted to having sexual relations with his daughter and confirmed that he had infected her with the virus. The matter was immediately reported to the police. During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he had known about his own HIV‑positive status for some time and had been on medication for the condition. Despite this awareness, he continued to sexually assault the girl over a prolonged period.
Inspector Okechukwu told the court that the offence is punishable under Section 3(2) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition and Protection Law of Anambra State, 2017. She asked the court to remand the suspect in a correctional facility, as provided for under Section 130(2)(a)(b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2022. The prosecutor told the court that Ezenandu had admitted his guilt, explaining that the abuse began when the girl was 15 and continued until her recent discovery, although she did not state a precise end date.
The accused chose to speak before the magistrate. He did not deny the acts. Instead, he threw himself on the mercy of the court, attributing his actions to diabolical influence. “It was the devil’s handiwork,” he said, adding that he had lost count of how many times he had violated his daughter. Chief Magistrate Onochie ordered that Ezenandu be remanded at the Awka Correctional Facility pending his next appearance. She adjourned the case until June 17, 2026, for hearing.
The case has sparked widespread outrage in Anambra State and across Nigeria, where sexual violence, particularly child abuse, has become a pressing national concern. Child protection advocates and anti‑trafficking organisations have called for stricter enforcement of laws against child defilement and for more support services for victims of incest and sexual assault. The transmission of HIV by an infected parent to a child through sexual assault adds a grave medical dimension to the already heinous crime. Medical experts note that a person living with HIV who is on consistent antiretroviral therapy and has an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus to a sexual partner, but the suspect’s claim that he was on medication did not automatically mean he was not infectious.
This case is not isolated. Between January and March 2026 alone, the Anambra State Police Command recorded over 20 cases of child defilement, with several involving incest. In many instances, victims are too frightened to speak out, and abuse continues for years before it is discovered. The prosecution of Rapuruchukwu Ezenandu will be watched closely by child rights organisations, who are demanding that the judiciary impose the maximum sentence allowed by law. For the 17‑year‑old girl, the damage is already done. She now lives with a chronic illness that will require lifelong medical management, compounded by the psychological trauma of being violated by the man who was supposed to protect her.
The case also raises troubling questions about how well the system protects vulnerable children. The girl’s discovery happened almost by accident, through a routine school medical examination, not through a proactive investigation. Activists have called for mandatory HIV and sexual assault screening for all children who present with unexplained health issues or who show signs of abuse. They also demand that schools and communities be better trained to identify and report signs of incest and abuse.
As the suspect awaits trial in Awka Correctional Facility, his daughter is receiving medical care and counselling. It is unclear whether she has been placed in protective custody or returned to her uncle in Lagos. The Anambra State Government has not announced any specific support measures for her, but child protection officials have said they are monitoring the case. The next hearing on June 17 will determine whether the case proceeds to full trial. If convicted, Ezenandu faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment under the state’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law. For now, one father sits in a cell, and one daughter waits for justice.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments