Executive Director of MARF, Lemmy Ughegbe
After failing to commence investigative public hearing into the rape and death of 14 year old Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphagher allegedly at Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja in compliance with its resolution passed on December 7, 2021, a foremost anti-rape organisation – Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) has served a pre-suit notice on the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Keren, a boarding student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, died after the rapist had left a condom inside, which infected her with sepsis and compromised her immunity.
MARF has continued to question the “disturbing and suspicious” reluctance of the House of Representatives to enforce its own resolution to commence public hearing one hundred and eighty days after resolving to do so.
The Executive Director of MARF, Lemmy Ughegbe said this notice addressed to the speaker amounted to a pre-action notice, pointing out that should the lawmakers fail to commence investigative public hearing two weeks from when the letter was received, the organisation will take out a legal process to compel them.
“If they don’t awaken to their responsibility and duty, which they owe the people and especially the Nigerian children, then after two weeks, we shall file an action to seek an order of mandamus to compel them to conduct the investigative public hearing”, Ughegbe stated.
“We must hold lawmakers accountable. They cannot sit and pass resolutions they are obviously not committed to enforcing. This is a fundamental breach of its own rules and we shall seek legal remedy for the greater good of the society and our children”, he added.
In the pre-action notice written by MARF’s counsel, Barrister Johnbull Adaghe and titled “A CALL TO COMMENCE INVESTIGATIVE HEARING ON THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF KEREN-HAPPUCH AONDODOO AKPHAGHAR (MISS) PURSUANT TO YOUR RESOLUTION OF THE 7TH DECEMBER 2021” it noted that the anti-rape body is aghast and startled that since the 7th day of December, 2021, when that reassuring and hope lifting resolution was passed, no step has been taken by the house to put machinery in motion.
In part, the notice reads thus:“Our client is a foundation charged with the duty of advocacy against rape and other sexual abuses in our society. In the discharge of its said responsibility, it led a protest to the National Assembly on the 1st day of December, 2021 to call for investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphaghar (Miss).
“Keren was a 14 years old student of the Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja. She was alleged to have been raped and sodomised while at school. She eventually died of sepsis occasioned by an abandoned condom in her virginal. She died on the 22nd June, 2021. And since then, investigation into the circumstances of her death by the police has been stunted, utterly vanquished and shrouded in secrecy.
“Dissatisfied with the manner investigation of the death is being conducted by the police, and with a view to getting justice for Keren and put an end to further cases of wanton sexual abuses, a protest march was led by our client in conjunction with members of other Civil Societies to press for justice for the deceased.“Our client is certain, that its call did invoke, as usual, the humanity in you, that on the 7th day of December, 2021, you led the house to pass a widely applauded resolution to commence investigative public hearing into the circumstances leading to the death of Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akphaghar (Miss) and other allegations of sexual harassment and abuses in schools.
“Our client is aghast and startled that since the 7th day of December, 2021, when that reassuring and hope lifting resolution was passed, no step has been taken by the house to put machinery in motion. We are worried that except the House takes a drastic step to intervene in this case by timeously holding the public hearing, as a way of putting the paedophile at bay, one cannot be certain whose daughter, sister or sibling might be the next victim of rape and other sexual abuses.
“In the light of the above, we are to urge you to cause the investigative public hearing to commence its work with a view to unravelling the circumstances surrounding the death of Miss Keren as well as the commission of cases of sexual harassment and abuses in schools. Our client is of the firm view that the intervention of an investigative public hearing is a sure means of addressing the rising anti-social trend in our schools and society.“Consequently, we therefore urge that you use your good office to cause the Resolution of the House of the 7th day of December, 2021 to commence investigative public hearing into the circumstances surrounding the death of Miss Keren and other sexual abuses going on in our schools to be implemented within a reasonable time of two weeks from the date of this letter.
“Having seen and felt the humanity in you, and your desire to do for justice all; we have no doubt in our mind that you shall accord the plea conveyed in this letter the urgent attention it deserves.”