The Coalition for Gender Based Violence Responders in Abuja on Friday, July 9, 2021, staged a protest demanding justice for late Keren Akpagher, a JSS 2 student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja.
Keren was alleged to have died of rape as a result of condom left inside of her resulting in sepsis.
Sepsis is a condition or syndrome caused by the presence of microorganisms or their toxins in the tissue or the bloodstream.
Mr Lemmy Ughegbe, a member of the coalition, said there was need for all hands to be on deck to check the increasing spate of sexual abuse in schools.
Ughegbe, who is also the President, Men Against Rape Foundation, expressed concern over the way the matter was being handled.
According to him, the medical report confirmed that Keren died following condom in her system which led to sepsis and subsequently led to her death.
“We are really worried about the increasing spate of sexual abuses, especially in our schools nationwide.
“Particularly, we are moved to hold this protest because the young girl died as result of rape with condom left inside of her having infected and caused her sepsis, which eventually led to her death.
“That is what the medical report says and sadly. the medical report has been held tenaciously by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, FCT Command for a very long time.
“The mother, who paid for the medical bills, was not even allowed to have access to the report.’’
Ughegbe said that the autopsy, which was supposed to have been conducted immediately after the death of the deceased, was stalled by the authorities.
He condemned the act and called on the police to always seek for the safety of the citizens, adding that prolonging the autopsy test was capable of daunting investigations in the matter.
“Autopsy was fixed for July 3, but the autopsy was stalled because the pathologist at the Maitama Hospital, who was appointed by the police to conduct an autopsy, demanded for a medical report.
“This is usually a global best practice but the police said it was not necessary and as a result, the autopsy was not conducted.
“So we mounted pressure on the police by issuing press statement which made them release the medical reports.’’ he said.
He added that curiously, the autopsy, which was later conducted, would not be ready for another six weeks.
Also speaking, Mrs Udeme Edoamaowo, the Executive Director, Network Against Domestic Violence Foundation, said that the group had a face-off with the school management to get their views after the news of Keren’s death broke.
“The account of a 74 year-old lead director of the school in our conversation told us that sometimes ago, Keren told the school that her greatest fear was rape.
“I also had a privilege through my investigation to see the child’s Bible where she marked in the book of Job 3: 25 and 26, which says `that which I fear most has come upon me’.
“So if you go by the account of the school and what she marked in her Bible, this means nobody can deny the fact that she was raped,’’ she said.
In the same vein, Mrs Jennifer Gbishe-Igoh, the Vice President, Queen of the Rosary Old Girls Association (QROGA), called for justice for Keren, saying that the incidence of rape in schools was becoming unbearable.
(NAN)