Teenager’s death: Accused lecturer remanded in prison

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Makurdi on Thursday remanded a polytechnic lecturer, Andrew Ogbuja in prison custody on allegation of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide of a 13-year-old girl under his guardianship.

The 51-year-old accused senior lecturer in the Department of Catering and Hotel Management in the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, was freshly arraigned in court following the death of the teenager, Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje, whom he and his undergraduate son allegedly raped serially until she developed a health condition known as Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).

Ogbuja was earlier remanded in prison on August 13, this year by an Upper Area Court in Makurdi for alleged rape and persistent molestation of the teenager who was brought to live with him at age five while he and his son, Victor said to be at large sexually violated her between age eight and 13.

Our correspondent reports that the court was filled to the brim by spectators, journalists and activists who tried to catch the physical glimpse of the accused.

It would be recalled that the deceased’s matter had raised concerns across the country just as many groups had taken to the streets and social media to protest the sexual abuse of the teenager which allegedly led to her death.