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The Digest:

The Benue State High Court has reopened the landmark rape case of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, who died in 2018 from health complications after years of sexual abuse. This judicial reversal follows a massive public campaign and new evidence, reviving a long-dormant pursuit of justice for a case that shocked the nation.

Key Points:
  • The court reopened the case on the seventh anniversary of Ochanya's death.
  • A viral petition with over 10,000 signatures spurred the judicial review.
  • The girl was allegedly abused by her uncle, Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor.
  • Andrew Ogbuja was previously acquitted in a lower court.
  • Victor Ogbuja remains at large with an active arrest warrant.
  • The case has become a national symbol for the fight against child sexual abuse.
  • The reopening highlights the power of sustained public pressure on the judiciary.
The case's revival proves that public memory can be a powerful, persistent force, capable of compelling the wheels of justice to turn long after they have seemingly ground to a halt.

Sources: PM News