Woman accuses husband of defiling their 3-year-old daughter

A 58-year-old mother, identified as Eucharia Okpalannadi, has appealed to the authorities for justice after her three-year-old daughter was allegedly defiled by her father.

Eucharia also reported that her husband, Magnus Okpalannadi, threatened her life for exposing the incident, which occurred in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Eucharia, who is from Amesi in Aguata Local Government Area, has been married to Magnus, from Achina in the same LGA, for about 26 years.

She shared her experience with the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, in Awka on Saturday.

“We have five children, four girls and one boy, who is the twin to the defiled child,” Eucharia explained. “At first, I dismissed my daughter’s complaints of sexual abuse by her father as a joke until she became persistent.

“Our three-year-old daughter complained that her daddy had been touching her private parts. Initially, I thought it was a joke and rebuked her until I noticed her private parts were not in good shape.

“After observing this, I confronted my husband, who denied the accusation.”

Unsatisfied with his response, Eucharia took her daughter to a hospital in Onitsha, where a doctor confirmed the child had been badly defiled.

Angered by the development and encouraged by close friends and relatives, Eucharia decided to make the matter public, seeking help from the government and private individuals to obtain justice for her child.

She expressed concern for her safety, describing her husband as someone who might harm her and the child due to the exposure.

Eucharia called for her husband's arrest and prosecution to prevent further harm.

She also warned against individuals trying to exploit the situation for financial gain, noting that she and her child were being well cared for by the Anambra State Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare.

Commissioner Obinabo reacted to the situation, emphasising the sensitivity of the issue and the need for accurate reporting. “It is not proper for some people to exploit this for financial gain without considering the impact of their unconfirmed publications on the victims and the investigation,” she said.

While the suspect remains at large, the Anambra State Government vowed to pursue the case until justice is served.