Anambra – Barrister ECG Okechukwu, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Awka Branch, in Anambra State has been arraigned before an Awka Magistrate Court for running a brothel using underage girls.
Okechukwu, who is being prosecuted on charges bordering on sexual-related offences was arrested on Monday in Amawbia in Awka, Anambra State capital when operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command raided his brothel and rescued nine female sex workers of between 15 and 23 years old.
Okechukwu, a resident of Ifite Awka whom one of his wives is also a practising lawyer in Awka was accused of having procured the girls from different states, including three underage girls from Ebonyi State and sheltered them in his brothel in Amawbia known as Happiness Guest House.
He was also accused of molesting the minors and also offering them to his customers who patronise his brothel.
It was gathered that one of his customers noticed serious bruises on the body of one of the girls when he tried to have her and therefore questioned the girl about the bruises and she revealed that the bruises were inflicted on her when she tried to resist the sexual molestation from a customer.
The Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, had reportedly, in a statement while confirming the police raid at Okechukwu’s brothel, also confirmed that the rescued ladies were lured from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers States on the assurances of being offered jobs to assist their parents and dependents financially.
The statement read, “Following the information received from Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare yesterday 18/6/2023 by 6:00 pm, Police Operatives stormed a hotel in Awka and rescued 9 girls within the age bracket of 15-23 years, used for sex slaves and arrested the proprietor of the hotel.
“Meanwhile, further interrogations/confessions of the rescued girls, reveal that the respective persons that brought them to the brothel lured/enticed them on the assurances of giving them jobs to alleviate poverty/needs of their parents and dependents.
“They further confessed to being taken from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States.
“Also, the Police Command is in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to make sure the girls are taken care of and safely returned to their parents/guardians.
“The Command has condemned the act and frowned at such persons who take advantage of vulnerable individuals to make money and describe such places as a den where criminals take refuge.
“We urge the good people of Anambra to continue to provide the police with information about such places as the joint operations to weed such harbour has commenced.
“The case has since been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka SCID, for comprehensive investigation and shall be charged to court afterward.”
It was gathered that Okechukwu, who holds the Prestigious Ozo Awka title, is presently serving a one-year suspension from the Ozo Society of Awka for similar offence running brothel using underage girls and habitually molesting minors, including a particular allegation that he sexually defiled a 13 years old girl in 2022. (Newstrend/vitalnewsngr.com)
