Family says police compromised investigation into rape, death of 14-year-old student

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The family of  the late 14-year-old boarding student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher and human rights groups, have accused the Nigerian Police Force of compromising the investigation process into the rape and death of the student. At a public speaking event organised for secondly school children to mark her two year memorial, the groups took turns to narrate their ugly encounters with the police in their quest for justice for the deceased student. Keren died on June 22, 2021 after being raped and the condom left inside her by a killer-rapist, which infected her with sepsis, compromised her immunity and spiked her blood sugar.

Speaking at the event, the bereaved mother decried the failure and lack of commitment of government, the police and other relevant institutions of government in bringing her daughter’s killer to book.

“They failed my daughter while alive and unto death they have all continued to fail her. They are neither committed nor honest with the process of getting the culprits,” she stated. 

“The police compromise things they should not compromise. We told them to share samples of the condom and spermatozoa found in it which was extracted from my daughter and safely preserved by the doctor who first detected that she had been abused.

“We told them not to carry the entire sample, but share with me and the school for all of us to go do our individual DNA test and matching with samples taken from the male staff of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja.  We told them our request was to enable both parties balance out their results with that of the police for transparency and credibility of the exercise.

“They ignored our official request and went behind us with Premiere Academy officials to Dr. Amugo’s hospital to retrieve the materials without us. You can guess what will become of this compromised process. There is so much to say on this. And at the right time, we will expose all the police did that tainted the process and question their credibility,” she said.