Police speak on Catholic catechist’s alleged defilement of three-year-old girl

…says case file is with DPP

The Ebonyi State Police Command says it has concluded investigations into the alleged sexual abuse of a three-year-old girl at Abakaliki Cathedral and forwarded the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu.

According to the statement, titled “RE: ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE AT ABAKALIKI CATHEDRAL,” the police received a complaint from the child’s mother on September 1, 2025, alleging that her daughter, Chidinma Cynthia James, who was three years old at the time, was sexually assaulted on August 22, 2025, at about 8:30 a.m.

The incident allegedly occurred after the child entered the residence of Herbert Obioma Okoro.

The police said the mother reported that her daughter had gone outside to play and was seen holding hands with another child, aged about four. When she later discovered that her daughter was missing, she searched for her and asked neighbours, who reportedly said they had not seen the child.

“When her daughter eventually returned, she asked where she had been, and the child reportedly said she was coming from the residence of Mr. Herbert Obioma Okoro. She also observed that the child was limping,” the statement said.

According to the Command, the mother subsequently took the child to a hospital, where a medical examination indicated that she had been sexually abused.

The police said they began investigations after receiving the complaint and arrested three persons: Herbert Obioma Okoro, Nkechi Obioma Okoro and Adanna Obioma Okoro. The complainant had identified them as persons suspected of having knowledge of the incident.

However, the suspects denied in their statements that the child had visited their residence and said they had no knowledge of what happened to her.

The Command said it forwarded the case file to the DPP in October 2025 for legal advice and sent a reminder in May 2026. As of the date of the statement, the police said they had yet to receive the advice.

It added that the matter remained subject to the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice and that appropriate steps would be taken in accordance with the law once the advice was received.

The Command reiterated its commitment to protecting children and ensuring that allegations of crime were handled seriously and diligently. It also urged members of the public to rely on verified information and allow due process to take its course.

The police statement came hours after a lawyer, Barrister Steve Ugama, said on social media that he had informed the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) of his request for the case to be reopened for further investigation.

In a post, Ugama alleged that the girl, now four years old, was still experiencing health problems linked to the alleged assault. He said the child’s mother had taken her back to hospital after noticing an unusual discharge.

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“This is four years old Onyii. She was allegedly raped last year when she was still three years old. Thursday last week the PRO of AEFUTHA called me about this case. She was brought back to the hospital by her mum because smelly pours were coming out of her virgina. According to her mum, she was allegedly rape by the catchiest at St. Theresa Cathedral Abakaliki were (sic) they lived at the time of the incident. I met with the doctor in charge of her case and he confirmed that she was defiled when she was first rushed to the hospital last year. The effect of the rape is what she is still suffering. 

“According to her mum, the catechist was arrested then and later released on bail. I reached out to the IPO who handled the matter and she said they concluded the matter and forwarded to the office of the DPP for legal advice. I called her dad and he said he is not interested in the matter, the case caused problems btw them and he has since married another wife and still living with the new wife at the cathedral where he is still a driver while mother and daughter was chased out of the cathedral according to her.

“I reached out to the cathedral administrator and he said the woman couldn’t establish that it was the catechist that defiled her daughter. According to him, it was the mum that did it to her daughter. He alleged that the mum is very problematic and behaves as if she is mentally unstable. While the woman claimed that they put enormous pressure her and the husband to drop the case as they claimed she was fighting the church. Her husband eventually agreed to drop the case and she refused.

“The doctor said the girl needs to be repaired, I don’t know what that means. She is currently on antibiotics drugs. I have informed the IPO that I want the case to be reopened for further investigation. I was unable to reach the catechist. Her dad’s young brother by xyz called me and said I should hands off the matter.Help me share this until we arrest him again.”

While Ugama’s post also contained allegations concerning the child’s parents and the cathedral administrator, these claims have not been independently verified.

Efforts to reach the child’s mother for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.