Premiere Academy, Lugbe – Abuja, has threatened to sue the African Independent Television for giving publicity to Mrs Vivien Vihimga Akphagher, whose 14 year old daughter, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphagher died as a result of health complications following her being allegedly raped in the school where she was a boarding student.
Keren-Happuch died on June 22, 2021 after developing sepsis as a result of the infection caused by the condom left inside her by her rapist, which compromised her immunity, spiked her blood sugar resulting to hyperglycaemia.
Following Keren-Happuch’s death, Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja has been the subject of an on-going investigation as her mother, Mrs. Akpagher filed a formal complaint against the school, alleging that her daughter was sexually abused at the school, which led to her death.
In what appears to be a strategy towards ensuring a media blackout on reports concerning the rape and eventual death of the minor, Premier Academy has threatened to sue the African Independent Television for giving publicity to her mother, Mrs Vivien Vihimga Akphagher.
Last year, leader of the Coalition of Gender Based Violence Responders, Lemmy Ughegbe accused Premiere Academy of trying to intimidate him into silence by filing a N500 million defamation suit against him at an Abuja High Court for delivering a rousing speech at the law week of the Nigeria Bar Association, Abuja Branch.
The school was miffed by the fact that Ughegbe called on the lawyer’s not to remain mere bystanders, but to join the Coalition and Keren’s family in seeking justice for Keren.
As though evidencing Ughegbe’s claim, the embattled school has now issued a – two day ultimatum to the management of AIT to apologize for reporting the civil action filed by Mrs Vivien Vihimga Akphagher, wherein she sued it (Premiere Academy) for N10 Billion for negligence and failure of the duty of care to her daughter, which led to her being raped in the boarding school facility, where she was resident.
A letter from the chambers of Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo (SAN) dated March 22, 2021, is demanding that AIT should within 48 hours, pull down the said report from all their social media handles, apologize for the said report, undertake not to publish such report about the Keren-Happuch case again in future and also pay N1 Billion as damages for the said report, which they term defamatory and libelous.
As at the time of filing that report, it was unclear whether or not AIT will be intimidated into silence and a black-out of reports concerning Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphagher even though the station has a reputation for enthroning social justice.
When contacted for comment on the threatened legal action against AIT, the Coalition leader and renowned Child and Gender Rights Advocate, Lemmy Ughegbe said it was a cheap tactics aimed at silencing the media and expressed confidence that AIT will not succumb to such cheap bullying.
In the words of Ughegbe; “I am not surprised at the underwhelming tactics by the school. They have sought to intimidate and bully me and the mother of the late child into silence by using various means.
“They even sued me for speaking at the Law Week and asking Nigerian lawyers to join me in seeking justice for Keren-Happuch. Their tactics is to intimidate and feed the public with falsehood.
“If they couldn’t intimidate me an ordinary individual into silence, is it television giant with a reputation for pursuing the good of society through the seeking of truth and justice that they will intimidate into silence?
“Remember, we have been asking them for CCTV footages of 15th and 16th of June 2021? Those footages will expose what happened to Keren-Happuch in their school, where they have 54 CCTV cameras. We are asking these questions and because they don’t want the Nigerian press to expose this, they are seeking to bully them especially AIT into silence. It will not work”, Ughegbe added.
Amnesty International last week called on the House of Representatives to immediately commence investigative public hearing into the rape and death of Keren-Happuch in compliance with their resolution of December 7, 2021. In the suit filed by Mrs Akpagher, which was reported by AIT is the cause of the threatened legal action by Premiere Academy. She had sued the school as a corporate entity and its owners, including former Managing Director of Skye Bank, Mr. Akinsola Akifemiwa before an Abuja High Court, demanding for over ten billion naira.
