The household of the late Ochanya Ogbanje, a 13-year-old who died in 2018 from problems linked to extended sexual abuse, has petitioned the Inspector Normal of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to reopen her case and declare the prime suspect, Victor Ogbuja, needed.
The petition signed by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, urged the police to recall the case file from the Benue State Police Command and place the suspect on a watchlist.
“We urge the Inspector Normal of Police to declare the fleeing suspect Victor Ogbuja needed, put him on the watchlist and launch a manhunt to arrest him,” the petition reads.
The household additionally requested police safety as a result of steady and enduring threats from the alleged perpetrator’s household, “who’re comparatively influential and politically related.”
Ochanya’s case resurfaced in public discourse following her seventh memorial anniversary held in Abuja as Nigerians on X, Fb, and TikTok renewed requires justice and demanded Mr Ogbuja’s arrest.
Backstory
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Ochanya, a Junior Secondary College pupil on the Federal Authorities Women School, Gboko, Benue State, died on 17 October 2018 from problems of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a situation medical doctors linked to extended sexual abuse.
The abuse was allegedly perpetrated by her maternal kinfolk — a lecturer on the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor Ogbuja. Each had been accused of serially raping {the teenager} over a number of years till she fell sick and later died.
Victor, who was declared needed by the police in 2018, has remained at massive since he reportedly fled to evade arrest.
His father, Andrew Ogbuja, was later arraigned for rape and culpable murder however was acquitted by the Benue State Excessive Court docket in Makurdi on 22 April 2022.
On the identical day, in a separate case, the Federal Excessive Court docket in Makurdi convicted and sentenced his spouse, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, who was Ochanya’s guardian, to 5 months’ imprisonment with out an choice of nice for negligence that uncovered the kid to sexual abuse.
The Federal Excessive Court docket ruling was later upheld by the Court docket of Enchantment in November 2022.
Petition
In response to the petition, for the reason that incident occurred seven years in the past, the Nigerian Police Power did not apprehend and prosecute the fleeing suspected rapist.
“A medical report from the Benue State College Educating Hospital, Makurdi, which shaped the scientific or forensic foundation for the prosecution, conviction and imprisonment of Mrs Felicia Ogbuja by the Federal High Court, Makurdi, acknowledged that the deceased teenager suffered “faecal and urinary incontinence, which was initially gentle and it progressively worsened” earlier than her tragic passing,” the petition reads.
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The deceased’s household famous that the “outright refusal” of the police to arrest and prosecute the important thing suspect is a grievous injustice to the sufferer and different females unaware of his antics.
They reiterated that the inaction of the police portrays Nigeria as a lawless nation within the worldwide neighborhood the place the rights of susceptible persons are trampled upon at will by highly effective folks and the elite.
