“She is my girlfriend” — 45-year-old man arrested for impregnating 13-year-old says

45-year-old Victor Emmanuel has been arrested by the Lagos Police men for having sex with a 13-year-old and insisting she’s his girlfriend.

Apparently, the 13 year old got pregnant, and Emmanuel is still insisting he did nothing wrong, as he described the suspect as his “fiancee”. Detectives attached to the Ajangbadi Police station in Ojo area of Lagos described the suspect as a rapist and his victim, a minor

Emmanuel, an indigene of Imo State, said:

“I didn’t rape her! We are in a relationship.

We’re even planning to get married. We have been dating for eight months now. The girl’s parents know me. Yes, I know she’s pregnant for me. I have accepted the pregnancy and I’m already taking care of her.”

“I have started the marriage rites. In fact, the girl’s parents had been collecting money from me. I have paid N20,000 to them for introduction and to buy drinks. They have also asked me to bring N100,000, out of which I have paid N64,000.”

Emmanuel said he was arrested after his supposed father-in-law, called and told him that the girl’s school authority said the victim was too young for sexual activities, let alone for pregnancy.

Emmanuel said: “The school authority said she was too young. The school authority insisted that I should come to the school. When I got to the school, I was arrested.”

The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant Mary Ikumo, said that the victim’s parents claimed not to know or had ever set eyes on Emmanuel.

According to Ikumo, the victim’s parents alleged that their daughter, who is just in primary six, was raped by Emmanuel.

Ikumo said: “The mother of the victim was with us yesterday. She said she didn’t know the suspect from Adam. The mother said that the girl used to hawk plantain and the suspect was one of her customers. He used to tip the girl N500 every time he buys plantain from her. One day, he pulled her into his shop and raped her.”

Emmanuel, a tailor, insisted that the victim’s parents consented to the relationship.

“They are already addressing me as husband,” said Emmanuel. He further said: “I take good care of her, including paying for her hospital bills. I go to her house at Ajangbadi every time. In fact, the mother called me last week and brought some clothes to my shop to sew for her.

The woman told me that she would be travelling this week. She used to bring food for me and sometimes drops the girl with me at my shop.

“If police go to their compound to make their investigations, neighbours would tell them that I am her husband.

I have also been paying for her ante-natal. Yes, I once went with her to hospital for ante-natal. On most ante-natal days, her mother would come over to collect money from me.”

The matter, however, took a suspicious turn when Emmanuel couldn’t tell his supposed wife’s school address, home address or her parents’ names.