Why Complainant Was Arraigned Instead of Alleged Defilement Suspect, Explains Enugu Police

The Enugu State Police Command have clarified why it Arraigned Chisom Okonkwo, the woman who accused her husband of defiling their two young daughters, instead of prosecuting the father she accused.

The explanation follows widespread public concern after police charged the complainant with defamation and giving false information.

Chisom had reported her husband, Ozioma Okonkwo, to the police, alleging that he sexually assaulted their daughters, aged five and three. The seriousness of the accusation prompted immediate investigation, with the children taken into protective custody under the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development.

However, the police say their investigation revealed significant inconsistencies in the complaint. According to the Command, the periods the woman claimed the assaults took place did not align with the children’s whereabouts. Investigators found that during the alleged incidents, the mother had travelled with the children to her hometown in Imo State—far from the scene of the alleged offences.

Further, the police disclosed that the couple’s seven-year-old son made two voluntary statements indicating that their mother had coached him and his sisters to accuse their father falsely.

Officers also said they obtained video recordings that supported the child’s claims, reinforcing the suspicion that the allegations were fabricated.

A medical report obtained during the investigation reportedly showed no evidence that the two young girls had been defiled, contradicting the mother’s allegations.

Police say that once the investigation began to point away from her claims, Chisom attempted to withdraw the case. By that stage, however, detectives from the State Intelligence Department had concluded that she had deliberately misled law enforcement.

On that basis, the police filed charges of defamation and providing false information, leading to her arraignment before an Enugu court, where she was granted bail.

Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, praised the investigators for what he described as a thorough and impartial process.

He warned that the Command would not hesitate to prosecute individuals who abuse the justice system by lodging malicious or false allegations.

The case has stirred considerable public debate, particularly concerning the challenges of handling sexual abuse allegations involving children.

While some have commended the police for a detailed investigation, others fear the development may discourage genuine victims from speaking out for fear of being prosecuted if their claims cannot be conclusively proven.

For now, the children remain in the care of the state government as the legal proceedings against their mother continue.