Peter Ibah, a policeman accused of raping a widow in Rivers State, and members of his team have allegedly resumed their duties at the same checkpoint where they accosted the victim.
However, the Rivers State Police Command has denied the allegation, describing it as untrue and mere speculation.
A civil society organisation, Human Rights Advocates (HRA) alleged on Monday that Ibah and his team were sighted at the Saakpenwaa Junction, where the widow was arrested for not wearing a face mask before the policeman allegedly took her to a hotel and raped her.
Spokesman of HRA, Prince Wiro stated that by releasing the suspects, the police were indirectly saying that they had been absolved of the allegations levelled against them.
Wiro said it would be wrong for the police to release the suspects to resume their normal duties when investigations have not been concluded.
“We heard that Inspector Peter Ibah and his team had resumed duty at the same checkpoint around Saakpenwaa Junction. We immediately drove through the place and saw them working. It was when they noticed us that they hurriedly left the checkpoint.
“The Rivers State Police Command told us that the accused police officers had been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department pending the conclusion of investigations and we are not aware if the investigations had been concluded, because the widow has yet to submit the medical report form given to her by the police,” Wiro said.
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However, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Nnamdi Omoni denied that the suspects had been freed from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), where they were detained.
“To the best of my knowledge and as far as the command is concerned, they are being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department. It is verifiable; anybody can go there and the men as we speak are there.
“So, reports that they were granted bail, released and back to their beats are inconceivable, unverifiable and an attempt to overheat the command,” Omoni stated.