An 18-year-old boy, identified as Oghenetejiri Kosini, has been detained by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly assaulting his landlady’s two-year-old daughter in Okpe Local Government Area, Delta State. Reports indicate the incident occurred on December 12, 2024.
According to sources, the child’s mother, who also owns the compound, was reportedly occupied outside the house when the suspect allegedly entered and committed the act.
Kosini was subsequently arrested and taken into police custody. However, the case has sparked public outrage following claims that he was released on Christmas Eve without being charged.
Human rights activist Comrade Israel Joe raised the alarm in a Facebook post on January 6, 2024, accusing the Divisional Police Officer of Orerokpe and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) of mishandling the case. He alleged that the IPO attempted to persuade the child’s mother to settle the matter out of court instead of pursuing justice.
In his post, Joe stated, “This two-year-old child was allegedly assaulted by an 18-year-old boy, Oghenetejiri Kosini, on December 12, 2024. While the mother, who owns the compound, was busy outside, the suspect allegedly entered the house to carry out this despicable act. He was arrested and brought to your division, but the IPO opted for settlement instead of justice.”
Joe further alleged that the police failed to carry out proper investigations. “The IPO refused to issue a medical referral form for the victim to visit a general hospital, claiming the suspect had already confessed in his statement. This level of negligence undermines due process and could jeopardize the case in court,” he added.
He also criticized the police for releasing the suspect on December 24, 2024, despite the mother obtaining all necessary documents, including medical reports, to aid prosecution. Joe urged the police to re-arrest the suspect and transfer the case to the Delta State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) for thorough investigation.
“The interest of justice must prevail. I appeal to the police to act swiftly. If justice is not served, society will eventually lose faith in the system,” Joe warned, promising to release a video detailing the incident.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, confirmed on Wednesday that the suspect is back in custody. “The suspect is in custody,” Edafe stated.
