Operatives of the Anambra state Police Command have arrested a 30-year-old man identified as Chinonso Nwaebonyi, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl in Awka.

Chidimma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The suspect, who hails from Izzi community in Ebonyi State, was nabbed after the victim’s mother reported to the state’s ministry of women affairs and social welfare.

According to the commissioner’s media aide, the suspect who had earlier denied the allegation during interrogation, later confessed to the crime.

According to Ms Ikeanyionwu, the minor said, “she, with her twin brother usually go to the compound after theirs to play since the holiday started. It was at the place that the suspect started defiling her.”

She revealed that the victim said he “had carnal knowledge of her about five times which was always on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

She said the victim’s mother got to know about the incident one of the days she came back from work to bath her kids and discovered that her daughter’s private region was swollen.

She said, “On inquiry, she was briefed on what had been going on and she quickly went to the next compound to complain to the guardians of the suspect after which she took her daughter to a pharmacy before coming to the ministry.’’

The suspect during interrogation however, confessed to defiling her only once, insisting that he never forced the girl, but only asked her to raise her clothes and lie down on the ground.

The suspect is in police custody for interrogation after which he’ll be charged to court.