Alleged Rape: We’ve Nothing to Hide, Says Premiere Academy

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja, which is the secondary school at the centre of controversy over the death of Mr. Keren Akpagher, has pushed back on allegations of sexual harassment that lead to the death of the 14-year-old SS1 student.

The Acting Principal of the School, Mr. Christopher Akinsowon, in a statement yesterday said the school has zero tolerance for sexual harassment of any kind, whether verbal or physical, as well as in-campus misconduct.

Akinsowon vowed that “in the unlikely event that any form of sexual assault happened to Keren Akpagher in the school, leading to her death, the school board and management will join hands with all relevant security agencies to prosecute such a person in line with the laws of the land.

“The autopsy result is not out yet. It is a part of the investigation process the school insists must be allowed to take its course. We earnestly await the result and plead that nothing should be said to pre-empt whatever the outcome might be,” he said.

He described reports that their students have sworn to an ‘oath of secrecy’ as very disturbing and asked: “how can secondary students take an ‘oath of secrecy; this is nothing but blackmail and an attempt to divert the minds of the public from the truth.”

He assured the general public that “as a school established to train future leaders, we will never give in to spineless, chinless and directionless individuals who are all out to cause people to have a negative opinion of the school.

“We reached out to the family on the very Tuesday, 22nd of June, when we were informed of her demise at the hospital; all activities for that day in the school were shut down. The management staff and some members of staff went to commiserate with her.

“The following day, 23rd June, the visit was repeated with a Board member and some staff to deliver a condolence letter, even though she was not in, we delivered it. On the 24th June, 4 members of staff went again, but they were denied entry right from the gate of the Estate. The PTA Executives of the school went on the same day and were equally prevented from entering from the gate of the Estate.

“Keren’s mother denied granting any interviews, yet media houses, publications, social media and bloggers have been quoting her. A valedictory service was conducted in memory of Keren Akpagher in the academy on Monday, July 12, 2021.

Akinsowon was responding to an earlier press conference held on Wednesday, in which the leader of the Coalition of Gender Based Violence Responders, Lemmy Ughegbe, alleged that Premiere Academy was one of the schools engaging in the ignoble act of sexual harassment.

Ughegbe accused the FCT police of acting like image makers of Premiere Academy by defending the action and role of the school and failed to release, Karen’s medical report to the mother.

He said: “The FCT Deputy Commissioner of Police, Fom Pam Joseph, has held on to the medical report of the deceased and refused to give it to the biological mother of the girl. The idea is if she gets it she will share with the press. Are the Police the PRO of Premiere Academy? What is the business of the police with what the mother does with the information on the medical report?

“Of course as an investigative journalists working with a coalition we have gotten the medical report that corroborate the fact that this girl was raped with condom left inside of her. That condom eventually caused sepsis which led to her untimely death.”