Juliana Francis
Members of the Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Network (ACVPN) have expressed concern over the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, asking survivors and complainants for referral letters while lodging cases, stressing that it will affect the war against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases in the state.
The network expressed its displeasure following the demand for a referral letter by the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command from a mandated reporter.
The co-founder of ACVPN, Ebenezer Omejalile said: “The mandated reporter proceeded to the Gender Unit Ikeja to report the case of the girl sexual harassment and he was told to get a referral letter from Lagos State Sexual Domestic Agency (DSVA). According to the mandated reporter, he alleged that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) at Satellite Town Police Station omitted most facts given to her by the victim. ACVPN take on the issue of referral before victims of sexual abuse, rape, and domestic violence are attended to by the Gender Unit Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command is highly unacceptable, reasons been that the Nigerian Constitution did not set up the Nigeria Police Force to always demand referral letters from victims of all forms violence.”
The activist further stated: “The Lagos State Police Command Gender Unit, Ikeja, should not be seen as Anti-People policy protagonists. Now that victims of these heinous crimes are speaking up willingly, they should be encouraged with swift responses than subjecting them to more psychological trauma. This case has suffered in the hands of the IPO and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Satellite Town Police Station. It should not suffer another double tragedy in the hands of the Gender Unit, Ikeja.”
Omejalile said the attention of ACVPN was drawn to the case by the mandated reporter. The crime was perpetrated by one Kewest, who was alleged of sexually harassed a 14 years old girl who is an apprentice in a tailoring shop somewhere within Agboju Satellite Town Lagos.
According to the victim who spoke with ACVPN, Kewest had been harassing her by rubbing her breasts and touching her buttocks.
The mandated reporter said the incident happened on the 27th of August 2022, right inside the tailoring shop, where she was an apprentice.
Omejalile recounted: “Kewest wanted to forcibly have his way with the 14 years old girl before she was able to use an object on him. Kewest got infuriated by the survivor’s resistance and pounced on her, beating her to a state of coma. It took the interventions of the mandated reporter and neighbours to compel Kewest to rush the girl to a nearby hospital. The mandated reporter, reporter the incident at the Satellite Town Police Station of which Kewest was arrested initially, but was released by the DPO, who alleged to be a good friend of Kewest. Kewest embarked on celebration galore, boasting that he would do worst to the victim and nothing would happen.”
julianafrancisnews.com (JFNews) gathered that following the outcry of members of the ACVPN, the suspect was rearrested and transferred to the Gender Unit Ikeja by the Satellite Town Police Station DPO, who initially released Kewest.
Omejalile said: “Despite the heinous crime Kewest committed against the State and humanity, his brother had the audacity to hire soldiers to threaten and harass the survivor’s mom. The mandated reporter said that the soldiers asked the survivor’s mother why it was that despite the judgement given at the Police station by the DPO, she still went ahead to push the case further.
“This is unacceptable! Why any DPO would compromise a case of this magnitude to the detriment of the survivor? Any DPO that does such is an enabler of defilement and rape. From all indications, Satellite Town Police Station DPO has turned himself to both the jury and judge. This case was already compromised if not for the courageous mandated reporter who would stop at nothing to get the survivor justice.”
