The Akwa Ibom State Government said it has surrendered the case involving a student of Deeper Life High School that was allegedly molested to the police for investigation.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong stated that the government withdrew from the case following the concurrent investigation by the Police, the proper agency saddled with that responsibility.
The victim’s Mum, Deborah Okezie, had taken to Facebook to cry out over the alleged sexual abuse.
She stated in the viral video that her son was sexually molested by his seniors saying “They will remove his boxer and push their legs and hands into his anus… look at a child I sent to school, he came back with a broken anus,” she added.
Mrs Okezie had in another video also claimed that she was being threatened from different quarters.
A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy however debunked the claims by the mother of the victim that she was intimidated and attacked when she visited the office of the Commissioner for Education.
Ememobong stated that the Commissioner for Education or any staff of the state government never harassed or intimidated the parent, the affected student, or anybody connected to the matter.
He said “the state government is committed to unraveling the truth behind the incidence and would not fail to prosecute anybody found culpable in the matter.”
He urged members of the public to be patient and allow for a thorough police investigation and other relevant institutions on the matter, adding that the government would take necessary actions once the report of the result is released.
“The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, HE Mr. Udom Emmanuel had last week directed the Commissioner of Education to investigate a complain of neglect, starvation and molestation by a parent against the Management, Staff and some Students of Deeper Life High School, Uyo.
“The Commissioner had immediately swung into action by visiting the parents and the child who is the subject of the alleged infractions. She consequently invited the parents, the boy, school management, the accused students with their parents and named witnesses, to the Ministry of Education for a fact finding meeting.
“While the investigation was on going, the Attorney General of the State notified the Commissioner of Education of the concurrent investigation of the same matter by the Police and the interest of several international Organizations like the United Nations Special rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Mirabelle Center, FIDA Akwa Ibom, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Response Unit of the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State among others.
“It was therefore advisable for the Commissioner for Education to hands off the investigation and allow the Police, which is the proper government agency to handle allegations of crime, to take over.
“The medical report from the private hospital where the child had been taken for examination and treatment by his parents has been received, while the child has been taken for further medical investigations at the Agape Sexual referral Center, with the consent of the parents and all interested parties.
“The State Government is committed to the revelation of the truth of the circumstance and is determined to prosecute anybody found culpable of any wrongdoing. At no time did the Commissioner for Education or any staff of the State Government, harass or intimidate the parent or the affected student, or anybody connected to the matter,” he stated.
Meanwhile, it was gathered from reliable sources that even as investigations into the matter was ongoing, Mrs Deborah Okezie, has sued Deeper Life High School for N100 million.
Okezie is also demanding an apology from the school to be published in two national and local newspapers.
