Akwa Ibom State Government has denied harassing and intimidating the parent, the affected student, or anybody connected to the case of neglect, starvation and molestation at Deeper Life High School, Uyo.
In a statement, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, appealed to the public to exercise patience for a thorough investigation to be carried out by the Police and other relevant institutions on the matter.
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel had last week directed the Commissioner of Education to investigate a complaint of neglect, starvation and molestation by a parent against the Management, Staff members and some Students of Deeper Life High School, Uyo.
Ememobong said the Commissioner had immediately swung into action by visiting the parents and the child who was the subject of the alleged infractions.
He said she invited the parents, the boy, school management, the accused students with their parents and named witnesses, to the Ministry of Education for a fact-finding meeting.
According to Ememobong, while the investigation was on going, the Attorney General of the State notified the Commissioner of Education of the concurrent investigation of the same matter by the Police and the interest of several international Organizations like the United Nations Special rapporteur on Human Trafficking, Mirabelle Center, FIDA Akwa Ibom, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Response Unit of the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State among others.
He said that it was therefore advisable for the Commissioner for Education to hands off the investigation and allow the Police, which wete the proper government agency to handle allegations of crime, to take over.
Ememobong further stated that the medical report from the private hospital where the child had been taken for examination and treatment by his parents had been received, while the child had been taken for further medical investigations at the Agape Sexual referral Center, with the consent of the parents and all interested parties.
He said the State Government was committed to the revelation of the truth of the circumstance and was determined to prosecute anybody found culpable of any wrongdoing, adding that at no time did the Commissioner for Education or any staff member of the State Government, harass or intimidate the parent or the affected student, or anybody connected to the matter.
He said the State Government would, upon receipt of the reports, take necessary actions.
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