The Digest:
Andrew Ogbuja and his son Victor, accused of repeatedly raping 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, leading to her death from Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) in 2018, have both escaped conviction due to legal technicalities and investigative failures. While Andrew was acquitted by the Benue State High Court in 2022, Victor remains at large, exposing deep flaws in Nigeria’s justice system for sexual violence cases.
Key Points:
- Ochanya Ogbanje died at 13 from VVF after repeated rape by Andrew Ogbuja and his son Victor.
- Andrew was acquitted in 2022 after police failed to conduct a medical examination on him.
- Victor Ogbuja remains on the run and has never faced trial.
- Andrew’s wife, Felicia, was convicted of negligence and served five months in prison.
- The case highlights Nigeria’s low conviction rates for sexual offences despite high reporting.
- Between May 2023 and April 2024, an estimated 1.4 million people experienced sexual offences.
- Only about 426 offenders are listed on NAPTIP’s Sexual Offenders Register nationwide.
Sources: BBC Reports
