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Retired Anambra teacher arrested for sexually molesting boys
The Anambra State Government, working with representatives from Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, has detained Mr. Ike Okoye, a retired teacher who lived in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area. It is claimed that Okoye molested and had same-sex relationships with young boys in the area.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media assistant for state commissioner for women's affairs and social welfare, Ify Obinabo, the suspect was taken into custody following the incident's reporting to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.
Ikeanyionwu stated that Chief Chikadibia Okeke, the President-General of the Isuofia People's Assembly, had reported the development.
According to her, the suspect was turned over to the police to be questioned further before facing charges in court.
"The suspect had been molesting and indulging young men in homosexual activities for a long time, according to the PG of Isuofia," she stated. "However, every time he was arrested, higher individuals in the state usually bailed him out."
"Chief Chikadibia Okeke recounted that they saw Okoye engaging in sexual encounters with numerous boys and young men over the weekend. They promptly contacted the Commissioner for Women Affairs, who directed them to detain him right away.
"During questioning, the suspect—a retired teacher and inhabitant of Okpoko hamlet in Isuofia—who had previously refuted the same-sex claims on the grounds that it was his haters at work, later revealed that he had at some point romanced some of the boys, held their sexual organs but never penetrated them as they alleged.
Meanwhile, according to two of his victims who asked to remain anonymous, the suspect would typically show up pretending to help someone with money problems or to let them help him around the house in exchange for payment.
"One of his victims, a twenty-five-year-old man whose name is withheld, explained that the suspect had molested him when he was seventeen years old and had followed up with him ever since, until he made the decision to involve his mother. The other victim, a thirty-one-year-old man, claimed that the suspect would usually feel satisfied when he held his private parts, but that he became uncomfortable with the situation and left.
"After they left, the suspect continued to pressurise and at one point even threaten them," according to the two victims.
Ikeanyionwu reported that Celestine Anere, the Commissioner and Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, conveyed her sorrow over the incident and reaffirmed the state government's commitment to eradicate child molestation and homosexuality in the state.
The statement continued, "After that, the suspect was turned over to the police for additional investigation and subsequently charged in court. However, when the suspect appeared before the police, he began pleading for forgiveness, but he refused to specify why he should be forgiven."