The controversy over the sexual
molestation of Ochanya until her death has continued to stir dust in Nigeria
and beyond through the social media. Ideal Olive gathered from online source that Ochanya was only five when her mother passed on and to make sure she will
be taken care of, she was given out to her mother’s sister. After three years in
her aunt’s house, Ochanya was allegedly turned into a sex slave by her aunt’s
husband, Andrew Ogbuja who is 51 years old, and a lecturer in the Department of
Catering and Hotel Management at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, and his
son, Victor Ogbuja.
Ochanya’s horrifying story was
made public when she became seriously ill early this year. And after several
medical observations she was diagnosed of Vesicovaginal fistula, VVF, and other
related diseases. Her worried family members began to make inquiries and she
later confessed that Mr Andrew Ogbuja and his son have been molesting her.
Ochanya’s elder brother, John Ameh
revealed that they took her for treatment when they noticed that she was
passing urine and stool uncontrollably. He said, “It was when our family
carried out an investigation into her condition that she confessed that Mr.
Ogbuja had over the years been abusing her through the vagina and anus and most
times they drugged her before doing it to her since she was eight years’.
According to Ochanya Ogbaje, Andrew’s
son, Victor started it and when he was reported to his father, he scolded him
but later joined the son in doing the same thing to her. John revealed that
while they were battling to save her life, Evangelist Enuwa Soo stepped in and
took her into orphanage home from where she took her for medical attention in
hospitals including the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, and
the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH with the assistance of the Wife of
the Benue state Governor, Dr. Eunice Ortom.
The matter was also reported to
the police and charges was filled against Mr. Ogbuja in August but was later released
in mysterious circumstances by the court.” Meanwhile, while the health
condition of Ochanya deteriorated much later in the month, she was again rushed
to Ultimate Care Hospital Otukpo, where she was admitted and later died on
October 17, 2018.
Meanwhile before her death, the
Chief Medical Director, CMD, of Benue State University Teaching Hospital,
BSUTH, where the deceased was initially treated, Prof. Terlumu Sende said that upon
investigation and diagnosis, it was discovered that the girl repeatedly
suffered penetration in her anus and vagina.
However, Benue Women Forum is demanding proper prosecution of the father and son involved in the rape of the little girl before her eventual death. The forum is in touch with the Federation of International Women Lawyers, FIDA, and both local and international NGOs to ensure that the little girl gets Justice even in death. According to their convener, “We learnt powerful forces are plotting to frustrate the case which is already in court but I can assure you that Benue women will come out in their numbers to attend all the hearings in the matter and we may also even embark on street protest to demand Justice for the deceased.”
Evangelist Enuwa Soo, the Good
Samaritan and owner of Restorer of Paths Care Foundation who took up the care
for the deceased lamented that the little girl died in his hands at the
hospital where she was also on admission. “She died in my hands in the hospital;
it is rather unfortunate that she died after all we did to save her.”
Evangelist Soo said as she sobbed.
Federal Government Girls
College, FGGC, Gboko where Ochanya was a JSS 1 student before her demise was
not left out in the shout for justice, they have raised their voice also to the
call for Justice for the innocent soul. A statement by the authorities of the
institution had said, “This is an outrage to FGGC Gboko, all female children,
all women, Benue state, Nigeria and indeed the world. As a body, we demand that
the perpetrators, indeed murderers be called to Justice and severely punished.”
In another statement on the
matter, the Acting Governor of Benue State, Engineer Benson Abounu also urged
the police and judiciary to ensure that justice was done over the death of Ochanya Ogbaje. Engineer Abounu who
described the act as inhuman, shameful and deserving of nothing less than
appropriate punishment for the perpetrators said “the State Government will
give the police necessary support towards the prosecution of the case to its
conclusion, to serve as deterrent to others with similar evil tendencies.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ogbuja was
Thursday re-arraigned before a Makurdi
Chief Magistrate Court for Criminal Conspiracy and Culpable Homicide. The
offence is punishable under sections 97 and 222 of the penal code laws of Benue
State 2004. At the hearing of the case, the First Information Report, FIR,
filed by the Police indicated that on October 22, 2018, the matter was reported
by Evangelist Enuwa Soo, through a petition to the Benue State Police
Commissioner. Part of the FIR read, “On June 23, 2018 the family of 13 year old
Miss Ochanya Ogbanje of Agene Amen, Okpokwu local government area, noticed that
Andrew Ogbuja, a lecturer with Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo and his son one
Victor Ogbuja had been criminally having unlawful carnal knowledge of her minor
since she was living with them in their house, which resulted in her being
diagnosed of Vesicovaginal fistula, VVF, and other related diseases. “Ochanya
was severally admitted in hospital for treatment but she later died on October
17, 2018 at the Ultimate Care Hospital Otukpo”
The court further heard that,
during police investigation Andrew Ogbuja was arrested for the offence while his
son who was a co-accused fled. In his ruling, the presiding Chief Magistrate,
Isaac Ajim ordered that the accused be remanded at the Makurdi Medium Prison
and adjourned the matter to November 29. Meanwhile, the accused narrowly
escaped mob action by angry women who were protesting with placards that read: “Ogbuja
must die by hanging”, “we demand Justice in this matter”, but for the quick
intervention of security personnel who smuggled him into a waiting police van
and whisked him away. This happened after the day’s proceeding when the women under
the auspices of the National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, who gathered to
witness the proceedings, sighted him as he walked out of the court room.
Speaking to newsmen shortly
after the Court sitting, State President of the NCWS, Chief Mrs. Grace Okochi
said Benue women were pained by what happened to the late Ochanya and for what
other women in the country were going through.
Ideal Olive is asking: Is it a
crime to be a woman?
