A police inspector, Eze Akpoelu, has allegedly attacked and injured a lady, Jane Amos, after she reportedly turned down his request for a relationship.
The cop was said to have thrown a burning stove at Amos, which made her sustain burns in different parts of her body.
The incident happened at Rumuokwuta, in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Amos said the inspector, who resided in the same compound with her, attacked her on Wednesday.
She said, “This morning (Wednesday), I went to the bathroom to bathe my niece for school and Inspector Eze Akpoelu was in the bathroom, bathing. So, I went to bathe her outside.
“He came out and said I was challenging him. He said he had warned that nobody should pour water outside. I did not make any comment. I took my niece into the bathroom. He said I was stupid and I did not have respect.
“Because he had asked me out for friendship and I refused, since then he had been hostile and I kept avoiding him.
“After I finished bathing my niece and went inside, he started saying that I was talking to him and that he would make me bleed. I said if he made me bleed, God in heaven would also make him bleed.
“Later, I came out to put my pot down from the stove because the food I was cooking was almost done. When I opened my door, I saw him by my door. He seized me and held me tight by my neck. He poured what I was cooking away, carried the burning stove and poured it on me.”
A rights group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
A statement by the group’s lawyer, Mr Festus Bonwin, said justice must be done in the matter.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the suspect had been arrested and detained.
She said, “He (Akpoelu) has been arrested. We have commenced investigation and if he is found culpable, he will be punished.”
