Emameh Gabriel
Mother of 14-year old Premier Academy student, Karen-Happuch, who was sexually abused and later died of complications as a result of a condom left in her private part, has narrated the involvement of the school in the crime.
This is just as she has appealed to relevant government agencies to look into the matter to unmask those behind the death of her daughter.
Mrs. Vivien Akpagher, who had declined speaking with the media since the death of her daughter, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that there is “deliberate distortion of facts and publicity stunt by Premiere Academy, Lugbe in order to preserve their business interest without regards to the life of my daughter which they have cut short”.
She said: “I named my daughter Keren-Happuch, which means God has filled my cup, but Premiere Academy, Lugbe took the cup emptied the water and broke the cup. The cup I gave to Premiere Academy full, they returned to me empty and broken. This is too much to take. My heart is in turmoil.
“You would have noticed that since my daughter died, instead of the management of Premiere Academy, Lugbe allowing my family to grieve and mourn her, Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja has been preoccupied with wanting to look good to the public rather than work to bring out the rapist.
“Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja has put the business interest of the school above the life of my 14 year old girl. They have even tried to tarnish her image with ugly stories. Premiere Academy, Lugbe has been embarking on major publicity stunts.”
She said that five press conferences and countless press releases by the school are all pointers to the desperation of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja.
“Kindly take note that while Premiere Academy, Lugbe continued on his publicity stunts to look good, my family and I had been silent. But today, for the first time, we have chosen to speak in order to put the incontrovertible facts out to the general public.
“The facts: On the 22nd day of June 2021, my 14 year old daughter, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher died. Keren-Happuch whom I fondly call Didoo, was a boarding student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja.
“On the 18th June 2021, my daughter had informed me that she had an eye infection and asked me to come and pick her by 5.00 p.m same day. But her teacher, whose phone was used, advised that I come pick her on Saturday, 18th of June 2021, being a call day to avoid landing her (teacher) in trouble since her phone was used,” she said.
Explaining the incident that led to her death, the mother said that on the 19th day of June, being an official call-weekend, Keren-Happuch called her, begging that she comes to pick her as she was ill with an eye infection.
The woman said she later called the school matron to secure an exit on the 19th day of June for Keren, but was told Keren would be placed in isolation for seven days on her return from home, with the matron suggesting an alternative of the school taking her to the clinic for treatment.
“After her treatment, Keren was distraught when she learnt that she was going back to school and begged to go home with me. I promised her I will secure an exit from the school and pick her. I called the principal, who agreed to give her one.
“Following that assurance from the principal, I got to Premiere Academy, Lugbe on the same day at about 1.00 p.m to pick my daughter, but wasn’t granted permission to pick her. The matron assured me that they were taking good care of her and that she was fine.
“Following assurances by the matron, I left without my daughter. However, while heading back home on the said 19th day of June, I received a call from a concerned staff of the school, telling me that my daughter was badly sick and seriously distressed in school on Wednesday, the 16th day of June 2021 with inability to walk without assistance of some of her friends, who helped her to class to write a continuous assessment test in tears”, she narrated.
She further explained that before Keren-Happuch’s death, the hospital discovered that she had been raped, condom left in her vagina, which had caused an infection that resulted to sepsis and trauma that led to her demise.
