Ochanya Must Get Justice

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?