“I Might Not Be a Party to This Case, But It’s My Case” — Keren’s Mother Confronts Premiere Academy in Court
In an emotionally charged moment outside the Abuja High Court, sitting in Kwali, Mrs. Vivien Akpagher, the mother of Keren-Happuch Aondoodo Akpagher, lampooned Premiere Academy, the school where her 14-year-old daughter was allegedly raped—an ordeal that led to complications and her tragic death.
Though not formally listed as a party in the legal battle, Mrs. Akpagher described Premiere Academy as insensitive, bereft of empathy and brazen following its N500 Million alleged defamation suit brought against journalist and gender rights activist, Dr. Lemmy Ughegbe, leading the quest for the rapist-killer of her daughter to be fished out and brought to book.
Responding to newsmen who sought to know why she was in court, an emotional Mrs Akpagher said Premiere Academy’s suit against Dr. Lemmy was indirectly aimed at her, wondering how audaciously an institution would want to use legal machination to silence they cry for justice for her daughter.
“Premier Academy had the temerity to bring Lemmy Ughegbe to court—someone who is fighting for my daughter to make sure she gets the justice she deserves. I truly wanted to come and look them in the face—the people that I filed a formal complaint at the police as those who raped and killed my girl—just to see how they live, how they function daily.”
She quizzed: “Is it not ridiculous and laughable that the sole reason for suing Dr. Ughegbe is because at the NBA Law Week he called Premiere Academy suspects in the rape of my daughter? I filed a criminal complaint at the police station against Premiere Academy, stating that my daughter was raped in their school, which compromised her health and led to death. So, are they not suspects by my complaint?”
Her words, raw with grief and fury, underscored the gravity of the case that has captivated national attention. Keren’s mother lamented the fact that, more than three years after her daughter’s death, there has been no concrete resolution.
“Each day I wake up, I think, what was it I did wrong? Was it wrong to have taken my daughter to Premier Academy in pursuit of a good education? Today, I think education is overrated, because it was in the pursuit of an education that led to her death.”
Meanwhile, Premiere Academy has admitted before an Abuja High Court that the relentless #Justice4Keren campaign, spearheaded by Dr. Lemmy Ughegbe, has significantly damaged its reputation and financial standing.
During the proceedings, the school, Mrs Chris Akinsonwon led in evidence by Barrister Olajide Kumuyi from the law firm of Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo (SAN) tendered exhibits in court, including a flash drive containing footage of Ughegbe’s impassioned address at the 2021 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Law Week, where he spoke before 5,000 lawyers about Keren’s case, three years’ worth of admission registers, allegedly showing a sharp decline in student enrolment, with only 59 new applicants in 2022, among others.
While the school argues that Ughegbe’s advocacy has led to financial losses, many see this as an acknowledgment of the power of the #Justice4Keren movement—a campaign that has exposed uncomfortable truths and kept the case in public consciousness.
For many human rights advocates, this case is not just about defamation, but about accountability. Ughegbe, known for his unwavering stance against gender-based violence (GBV) and impunity, has remained steadfast in his call for justice.
His legal representative, Johnbull Adaghe, challenged the admissibility of some of the documents presented by Premiere Academy, arguing that they were not frontloaded in compliance with the rules of court. However, Justice Kayode Agunloye overruled the objections and admitted the documents as exhibits.
With the court set to play the video evidence of Ughegbe’s NBA Law Week speech on March 18, public interest in the case continues to rise, particularly as it touches on critical issues of justice, institutional accountability, and the silencing of human rights defenders.
As the legal battle is adjourned to 18th of March, 2025, Mrs. Akpagher’s words serve as a reminder that this is not just a courtroom drama—it is a fight for justice, dignity, and the right to speak truth to power and demand justice for a rape victim.
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