Benue State government has vowed to resist every attempt by any individual or group to thwart the rape case involving late Elizabeth Ochanya no matter how highly placed.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Christy Anagende stated this while speaking with the Next Edition in Makurdi.
Anagende was reacting to reports making the round on the social media alleging that some people were making attempts to sabotage efforts of late Ochanya’s family to seek justice for the little girl who was raped to death.
She said the ministry was not aware of the case being transferred to Otukpo, but stated that if such a thing had been done and probably in bad light, they would recall it.
“I’m not aware yet, just today before your arrival, I had called for the file because we are so much interested in the matter and I can assure you that even if such a thing was done and effected, we will ensure that such a decision will be reversed if it is not justifiable. I saw the things on social media and I have called the director to see me on that matter. That’s all I can say for now,” she noted.
The Next Edition gathered that the Ochanya case had been transferred from Magistrate court 2 Makurdi to Otukpo High court for quick dispensation of justice.
A source close to the family told our correspondent that the decision to transfer the case from Makurdi to Otukpo was taken without the input of Ochanya’s family.
The source further alleged that appointed lawyers in the case have not been communicating with Ochanya’s family and have been kept incommunicado just to frustrate the family thereby denying Ochanya justice.
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“Even days of court sittings are not being communicated to her family, hence their absence at the last two hearings.
“Calls and text messages sent by her family members to FIDA, who had hitherto been the liaison between the family and the public prosecutors, have mostly gone unanswered.
“Ochanya’s family members are still getting verbal messages from “powerful men” advising them to drop the case as a result of which they still live in fear knowing that defying the powers that be may make their lives miserable.”
When contacted, the elder brother of the deceased, Austin Ejembi said that he was informed that the case had been transferred from Makurdi to Otukpo .
“I was told from the Makurdi Medium prison that some prominent politicians behind Andrew Ogbuaja are pushing for the case to be transferred to Otukpo so that they can have opportunity to influence justice.
“However, I was told that the Director of Public prosecution, DPP, in the ministry of justice refused to sign and approve transfer of the case to Otukpo. DPP told that lawyer who was pushing for the case to be transferred, that there is no need to transfer it hence all the witnesses reside in Makurdi.
“This is where we are now. Although the suspect, Andrew Ogbuaja, is still in remand at Makurdi medium prison, some powerful politicians are trying to let him go scot-free,” Ejembi said.