Death of raped teen sparks tension in Bayelsa community

The deceased teenager was waylaid and raped twice by the accused teacher.

The death of a 13-year-old after she was raped by a teacher in Sagbama, Bayelsa is causing outrage.

Civil society organisations and girl child advocacy groups are to visit the state police commissioner to demand investigation and arrest of the suspect.

The suspect, Promise Sylvanus Ogun, 30, is a teacher at the Government Secondary School, Toroegbeni in Sagbama Local Government area of the state.

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 are leading the push for his investigation and arrest.

It was gathered that the allege rapist, after owning up before family and compound chiefs that he was responsible for the rape of the deceased and paid her hospital bill at a private hospital in Opolo area of Yenagoa, the state capital, have made a u-turn by accusing the father of the deceased of threat to life before the Area Command of the Police in Sagbama.

Civil society groups have criticised police for summoning the father of the deceased on what they call “trumped up charges of alleged threat to life” by the accused teacher.

It was revealed that the deceased teenager was waylaid in March by the waterside in Ogoibiri community of Sagbama where she had gone to take her bath and raped twice by the accused teacher.

“The girl did not report that she was violated and raped. She kept it to herself and was bleeding little by little,” according to her father Pinaowei Gana.

“Until two months later, we noticed some strange smell and she complained of serious sickness. 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 I should not go to the Police but 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 doctor’s advice and dumped her with me. Two days later, the girl died.

“The accused and his entire family packed and ran out of the area. The father to the accused however offered and deposited the corpse of the girl at the mortuary along the Amassoma Road pending the resolution of the conflict.”

Commenting on the development, the Founder of the DOF foundation, Ogbise-Erhisere confirmed that the deceased died from complications of rape, insisting that the girl child advocacy groups are planning on visiting the Commissioner of Police over the matter.

“A crime has been committed and the culprit has admitted to the crime. They need to ensure he is arrested and prosecuted. On the reported petition of the allege pedophile, the police needs to investigate and determine who is culpable and where is the corpse of the defiled and deceased child.

“We urge the Police authorities to transfer the case from Area command in Sagbama to the State Police headquarters in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital for proper investigation.” She said.

When contacted, the police spokesman, SP Asinim Butswat said the rape case has not been officially reported to the police.