Mrs. Deborah Archibong, the mother of an 11-year old boy, Master Don-Davies Archibong, alleged to have been sexually abused and mistreated at the Deeper Life High School (DLHS), Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has threatened to go to court if the school fails to pay her N100million compensation within 21 days.
Mrs Archibong, who spoke through her lawyer, David Okokon, said if DLHS defaults in the payment of the N100million within the 21-day ultimatum, she would proceed to court where she would increase the amount to N1.5billion.
Okokon, the practitioner-in-chief of Eagle-Eye Network Chamber,said that the N100million compensation was non-negotiable.
He said the money was needed to enable his client fly her ‘abused’ son abroad for medical check-up and treatment.
Okokon said the money was not for personal enrichment of his client or for stoppage of investigation, but a compensation for the ‘dehumanising, horrendous torture and indignity his client’s son was subjected to.
He said: ‘’The N100million specifically is for the medical attention of the boy because we don’t know the level of damage done to him.
‘’There are medical experts and consultants we are not privileged to have in this part of the world. So we may have to fly him abroad to ascertain the level of contamination their actions have impacted on that boy.
‘’This is because today’s Bassey Akras, today’s Oyedepos, Udom Emmanuels, Buharis, Donald Trumps and other leaders were minors years ago. If they were abused, the story would not have been the same today. They wouldn’t have been where they are today.
‘’I stated clearly in the letter I wrote to Deeper Life High School that the N100million was for the medical attention of the boy. If we are to talk about life, of course you know no amount of money can equal to life.
‘’If they (DLHS) cannot meet up within the specific time of payment of the N100million, we will be left with no option but to go to court. And when we go to court, we will not be talking of N100million. We will be talking of N1.5 billion.”
Okokon added: “We are not pre-empting the medical report or outcome of police investigation in the matter because it is just like a woman who is raped. You don’t need a medical report to talk about the medical care for that victim or person.
“You don’t need a medical report to take the victim to hospital.
‘’The investigation is to ascertain the culpability of the characters involved in the whole unfortunate drama. We invited the police into the matter. The two parties are meeting with the police on Tuesday (tomorrow).
‘’It is based on our petition that the commissioner for Education was invited by the police, although her office abused the process of investigation. Of course, we have also written to the education secretary of Deeper Life High School in Lagos. So N100million has nothing to do with stoppage of investigation.
‘’It is not money to be paid to withdraw the case. We are saying the boy needs expert medication outside the country.’’
He said his client went online to let the world know what was going on because the school authority refused to take responsibility for the incident and apologise.
‘’If the school management had taken responsibility for the sad and shameful actions, my client wouldn’t have gone to the Internet. She did that because they denied,” Okokon said.
