By Efe Akpor
A man in his 40s, simply identified as James, last Saturday, created a scene at Bestman Estate in Rumukwuota, Obio/Akpor council of Rivers State, when he brought police officers from Rumupeirikom (Kala) Police Division to arrest a 17-year-old girl, known as Faith, for turning down his sexual overtures, after allegedly ‘dashing’ her money on several occasions.
The Guardian learnt that Faith, who owns a beauty shop, had on different occasions, received money from James, whom she claimed to be a regular customer with a large heart.
It was gathered that the total money James gave the girl within two months was N17,500.
But the customer/ owner relationship took a new twist when James revealed his motive, but the 17-year-old declined on grounds that James was married.
Faith said: “Today, in my shop, James came to arrest me. I always clean his nails and after payment, he would tell me to keep the balance.
“Each time he comes to my shop, he dashes me money. He never told me the reasons he was giving me the money, until one day he told me I should follow him to a hotel.
“I told him no, that I cannot go to a hotel with him, after I found out he is a married man.
“Then he has been telling me to come with him to a hotel and that I am going to sleep with him then I told him no. Then he decided to bring the Police to my shop today to arrest me.
“The Police took me to the station and told me to write a statement about how it happened and I wrote everything.”
When approached at the police station, James declined to comment, but said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) has handled the matter.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the young girl left with her parents after the DPO listened to both parties and sternly warned James against his actions.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, has advised men to woo women properly in case of adult females and not to conclude that receiving a cash gift from them means the woman has consented to their sexual overtures.
He also advised young ladies to be careful with the kind of men they receive gifts from as some men can arrange for them to be raped as a way of punishing them, when they feel swindled them. (The Guardian: Text, excluding headline)
