Girl dies after r*pe by teacher in Bayelsa

A 30-year-old teacher, Promise Sylvanus Ogun, has been accused of raping a 13-year-old pupil to death in Bayelsa State.

Ogun, a teacher at the school located in Toroegbeni, Sagbama local government area of the state, was said to have waylaid the girl on her way to school and raped her near the community stream.

The father of the girl, Pinaowei Gana, who confirmed the incident on Sunday, said the girl did not initially report the abuse until she took ill and confessed that Ogun had raped her on two occasions.

The father said: “She kept it to herself and was bleeding little by little until we noticed some strange smell while she was sick. We took her to a local massage therapist and he told us that the child has been defiled and infected.

“We took her back to tell my landlord and some elders who questioned her, and she confirmed it was the teacher. The teacher pleaded that I should not go to the police and that he will pay for her treatment and settle with the family.

“He took her to a private hospital in Opolo where she was admitted for over a week. But he came back and discharged the child without the doctor’s advice and dumped her with me. Two days later, the girl died.”

Gana also confirmed that after he raised alarm over the death of her child, the accused and his entire family packed out of the area.

Read also: 30-year-old trader allegedly rapes neighbour’s 14-year-old daughter

But the case took another turn after Ogun, who had owned up before the family and compound chiefs that he raped the girl and paid her hospital bill, filed a report at the police area command in Sagbama over alleged threat to his life by the deceased’s father.

According to the bereaved father, some civil society groups, including the Girl Response Initiative Team set up by the wife of the state governor, Gloria Diri, and the DOF Foundation led by Barr. Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, vowed to take over the matter and ensure the suspect’s arrest and prosecution.

Ogbise-Erhisere, who spoke on the development, confirmed that the girl died from complications arising from rape.

“A crime has been committed and the culprit has admitted to the crime. The police need to ensure he is arrested and prosecuted.

“We urge the police authorities to transfer the case from Area Command in Sagbama to the state police headquarters in Yenagoa for proper investigation,” she said.

However, the spokesman of the state police command, SP Asinim Butswat, said the matter has not been officially reported to the police.

He, however, promised that once the case is reported, the police would act swiftly on the matter.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now