A businesswoman, Nkeiruka Kamalu, has accused a member of the House of Representatives, Uju Chima, of raping her on August 9th 2015. The accued lawmaker represents Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo state at the Federal House of Representatives.
According to Sahara Reporters, Kamalu made the allegation in a fundamental rights suit she filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos. Sahara Reporters reports that Kamalu in the court papers, told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that following an incestuous relationship with Chima, the lawmaker offered to pay her N20m if she divorced her husband, Gabriel Igbibi. The victim is seeking protection from Chima, who she alleged caused her to be arrested on May 27, 2019, tortured, humiliated, detained for seven days by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and arraigned on a fictitious N40m theft charge. The case was called up for hearing for the first time today.
In the affidavit in support of her application, Kamalu affirmed that herslef and the lawmaker began dating in 1993 while she was in secondary school.
”We dated for 10 years, after which he proposed marriage and we both agreed to settle down as husband and wife. Unfortunately, our parents kicked against our relationship on the ground that we are biologically related and that we were committing incest and could not get married, so I married another man called Gabriel Igbibi.”
Kamalu in her court papers, said she reconnected with the lawmaker when she needed assistance to execute a contract she secured and that after she refused his advances, “he raped me”.
“I lodged the case first at New Owerri Police Station wherein he influenced it and I wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Abuja. The petition was assigned to Zone 9 Police Command, Umuahia, Abia State. The 1st respondent settled the police and they brokered peace between the 1st respondent and me, wherein he promised to take proper care of me because he cannot withdraw himself from me.
“Following our reconciliation, we resumed our incestuous relationship. My husband got wind of the relationship between the 1st respondent and myself and filed for divorce. The 1st respondent promised that if the divorce succeeds, he will be giving me N20m every six months and also buy me a property in any designated place in Lagos. The marriage was dissolved at the Ikeja High Court, Lagos. After the divorce, the 1st respondent told me that before he will take the relationship serious, I will have to bear a child for him.” she stated in the court papers.
According to the alleged victim, she took in for the lawmaker but had a miscarriage. She told the court that the lawmaker then asked her to adopt a baby, which would be his and claim that the baby was born in Canada but that the baby also died. She further claimed that he made her swear to an oath of loyalty but she eventually caught him with another woman.
“I became infuriated and he became furious and warned me never to visit him again, that he is no longer interested in the relationship. I reminded him of the oath he forced me to take that no man must have any relationship with me again and the promise to be giving N20m every six months, buy me a property in a choice area, buy a brand new car every six months, which he had never fulfilled.
“I told him that I would tell the whole world how he has ruined my life and deceived me out of my marriage where I had four children.”
Kamalu told the court that this was why the lawmaker used the police to arrest her on May 27, 2019 and detained for seven days. She says she haas been living in fear since she was arrested.
Sahara Reporters reports that the accused lawmaker has evaded all attempts to serve him court papers. Kamalu is seeking several reliefs including a declaration that her arrest and detention “by the respondent at the State CID Police Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State for seven days was unconstitutional”. She is also demanding that a declaration that her invitation by the police for another investigation while the case has been adjourned sine die at the Chief Magistrate Court, Owerri, violates her rights. She is also asking the court to issue an order restraining the lawmaker from further arresting, pursuing and intimidating her.
“An order directing the 1st 2nd, 4th to 6th respondents to release forthwith her Infinix Note 7 and lnfinix Note 8 illegally seized by the respondents during the arrest and torture in Lagos.
“An order awarding damage in the sum 0f N50m to the applicant for the unlawful arrest, torture, unlawful detention, insult, disgrace, intimidation and the embarrassing treatment meted out on the applicant.”
When the accused lawmaker was contacted on the telephone on Saturday September 21st, he responded saying he was busy at the moment.
“I’m inside a court now, can we talk later? I’m inside a court.”
