The death of 14-year-old, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher, a Senior Secondary School (SSS1) student of Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja on June 22, 2021, as a result of alleged rape, has continued to raise dusts, with the family and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), calling for justice.
The mother of the late Akpagher, Mrs Vivien Akpagher, alleged that her daughter was raped in the said school, condom left in her, which infected her and resulted in sepsis leading to her death.
But the school authorities refuted such claims, saying the child only complained of red-eye condition for which she was treated at the hospital before she was picked from the school by the mother.
Apart from the police investigation, a coalition of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) responders, has waded into the situation with commitment towards ensuring that the Interest of justice is served on the matter.
The coalition, in a statement signed by Mr Lemmy Ughegbe of Men Against Rape Foundation, Dorothy Njemanze of Dorothy Njemanze Foundation and Edoamaowo Udeme of Network Against Domestic Violence Foundation, said they have since last week, commenced discreet investigation into the matter to enable them to have clarity on the circumstances that led to the death of Miss Akpagher following her alleged rape at Premiere Academy, Lugbe, where she was a boarding student.
“We have also interviewed the deceased’s mother, Mrs Vivien Akpagher, and are verifying the veracity or otherwise of her claims that her daughter was raped in the said school, condom left in her, which infected her and resulted in sepsis leading to her death,” the statement said.
Acting Principal of the School, Mr Chris Akinsowon, who briefed newsmen on the development alongside Grace Salami, Matron of the School Clinic, denied the allegation of rape, saying nothing of such happened when the girl was under their watch.
He, however, noted that since the sad incident, the school has launched an internal investigation, while also cooperating with the police on the investigation to unravel the cause of the unfortunate death of the student.
He said the school has also demanded that an autopsy is conducted to actually determine the cause of her death.
He said: “The press briefing is organised to address the controversy surrounding the death of our erstwhile student, Miss Keren-Happuch Akpagher, our 14-year-old dear SSS 1 student held in the school premises on Friday, July 2, 2021.
“Since her demise, the media space has been agog with various reports and concerns around various stakeholders in the affair – from the family to the health institutions and to the school.
“We initially issued a statement on June 29, 2021, where we commiserated with the family of the deceased and stated our position which included the following:
“Keren Akpagher reported to the School Clinic on June 17, 2021 with a complaint of redness of the eye. Her mother requested that she be taken to see an ophthalmologist on Saturday, June 19, 2021. She was taken for the appointment in the morning of the same day.
“On her return to the school, her mother further requested to take her home because Keren was insisting on going home for that weekend. An exit was granted and she was released to her mother on Saturday afternoon in a stable condition.
“The school only got to know about her hospitalisation in the morning of Monday, June 21, 2021. We mobilised immediately and paid her a visit to the hospital on that day. It was with deep sympathy that we later heard of her demise early the next day, Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
“The school did not refuse to grant the mother of the deceased custody of the sick daughter at any point,” he said.
“Since the demise, the school has visited the family several times – 15 management officers on the day of her death, delivered a condolence letter on the second day,” he said.
He dismissed social media reports that on 16/06/21, she could not walk from the hostel to class and had to be helped by her friend.
