SPECIALREPORT Abused girl, Ochanya, goes home, on course for justice even in death
was reported his father by his daughter who caught the brother in the act, he (father) began raping her too which led to her been bedridden for several months.
Similarly, the caregiver, Evangelist Enuwa Soo, who took care of the victim’s rehabilitation, told the court that a medical report by the Benue State University Teaching Hospital revealed that the girl’s hymen was broken due to prolonged sexual molestation which caused her to develop Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), which made the girl to frequently urinate and defecate without control.
Consequently, the magistrate remanded Ogbuaja in a Makurdi prison and adjourned the suit till September 24, 2018, for further hearing.
Shortly afterwards, the family of the girl had cause to raise alarm on suspicion of an alleged clandestine bail granted Ogbuja as he was said to be seen moving freely around Ugbokolo.
According to the family, at the resumed sitting on the case on September 24 in Makurdi, the absence of the trial magistrate due to ill-health compelled the court to further adjourn to November 5, 2018.
But, the girl’s parents, got worried over their daughter’s safety following Ogbuja’s release from prison which they said did not follow due legal process.
“The circumstances under which Mr. Ogbuja was released from prison remain unclear, and as a result we are under serious apprehension on the safety of our daughter who is currently receiving VVF treatment at an undisclosed hospital,” a family source had alleged.
The family added that due to the influence of the accused in the community, the life of the victim was in “dire danger,” as they called on the Benue State Commissioner of Police and the State Comptroller of Prisons, Makurdi, to launch an enquiry into the circumstances that led to his release from custody.
Unfortunately, as the matter was still being contended in court, the girl reportedly died last week and ever since, there had been protests from all quarters demanding justice for her. Our correspondent could not immediately speak with the girl’s parents. However, her uncle, Ameh Ejekwonyilo, appealed to well-meaning individuals and relevant authorities not to allow the death of his niece go in vain but ensure that justice takes its course.
In similar vein, the Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy of Nigeria and Black Diamonds Support Foundation in a press statement signed by its president, Innocent Agbo, demanded the suspension of Mr Ogbuja from his position at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo.
“We call on national and international civil and human rights organisations to beam their searchlight on little Ochanya’s case to ensure that justice is not only served but seen to be manifestly served,” the statement said.
Also, the Federal Government Girls’ College, Gboko old girls association have demanded justice for the girl, saying, “This is an outrage to FGGC Gboko, all female children, all women, Benue State, Nigeria and indeed the world. The advent of social media has brought to the fore the raging menace of child abuse and rape within our homes, communities, and nations.
“As a body, we demand that the perpetrators, indeed murderers, be called to justice and severely punished. Messrs Andrew Ogbuja and Victor Inalegwu Ogbuja should be charged with first degree murder. They should be made to feel the full wrath of justice,” they said.
Even with Ochanya’s case still trending, there has been fresh arrest of four people by the police in Benue State on suspicion of their alleged involvement in the rape of several minors at different locations in the state.
The suspects - Fidelis Iorapuu, 50, Samuel Ene, 53, Uwanyi Kenneth, 29 and Shuaibu Haruna, 35, on different occasions allegedly committed the crime at their business environments.
Police spokesman, Moses Joel Yamu, who paraded the suspects on Tuesday at the command’s headquarters in Makurdi, said the arrest was made possible following the recent public awareness created by protesters in the case of Ochanya.
Yamu said the outrage which the late teenager’s death generated had led some activists to schools and other public places where they educated and encouraged children suffering sexual molestation to speak out, adding that the awareness resulted in the apprehension of the four suspects.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, one of the suspects Iorapuu, a father of four from Kastina Ala LGA of the state, admitted to the crime, saying he made three unsuccessful attempts on a 12-year-old at his place of work in Makurdi but that the matter was settled at the family level after the girl reported him to her elder sister.
“A few days ago, I was arrested after she (girl) told her teacher in school that I was raping her. But I never went beyond those attempts I made thrice. What I did was bad and my conscience judged me so I stayed away, especially after I was cautioned,” Iorapuu said.
Similarly, Haruna was said to have defiled a fiveyear-old currently being treated in a hospital but he denied the allegation while answering questions from our correspondent.
Meanwhile, the police spokesman said the suspects would be charged to court as he urged other minors who are secretly being sexually violated to speak out so that the law would catch up with the offenders while he called on parents to report such matters to the police rather than settling the issues quietly at family level.