The State Police spokesperson, Mr. Ezekiel Onyeke, said Madu took advantage of the 24-year-old female passenger, who was travelling from Lagos to Obehie, adding that she was the only passenger in the taxi.
Onyeke disclosed that the victim had boarded the commercial taxi in Aba upon arrival from Lagos and was traveling to Obehie, when the suspect sexually assaulted her.
The PPRO noted that the driver, midway into the journey, stopped at a lonely place claiming that his cab had run out of fuel along the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, where the incident occurred despite the plea by the victim that she was a virgin.
Onyeke averred: “At a spot along the road, the driver pulled off the road, claiming that he ran out of fuel. The victim, who was not comfortable with the claims of the suspect, left the vehicle on the excuse that she wanted to ease herself.
“The driver, who suspected rightly that the victim wanted to escape, went after her and forcefully dragged the helpless victim back to the vehicle and raped her despite pleas from the victim that she be spared as she has vowed to keep her virginity till marriage.
“The suspect, who fell asleep after the act and did not know when the victim left the vehicle, was woken up by men of the Operation Safer Highway team on patrol of Obehie, who wanted to know what he was doing alone in the vehicle and on the deserted road at that hour of the night and he told the Police officers that he ran out of fuel.”
Onyeke said luck however ran out on Madu when the victim, who was hiding in a nearby bush, on sighting the police patrol team in the area came out and narrated her ordeal.
“The suspect was promptly arrested and handed over to the Police at Obehie,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that the victim was later taken to Cottage Hospital Owaza, for medical attention while Madu, who has confessed to the crime, will soon be charged to court.
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