Deborah Okezie, mother of a Junior Secondary School 1 pupil of Deeper Life High School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has dismissed claims that she demanded N100 million as compensation from the school.
There have been media reports that Okezie, through her lawyers, demanded the money as compensation for the alleged assault and molestation of her son at the school.
But during a Facebook live broadcast on Saturday, Okezie said she only wants justice for her son.
She added that she did not instruct her lawyer to demand compensation.
She said, “I have not openly told any lawyer to demand N100 million from anybody; what I want is justice for Don Davis, justice for children that cannot talk. I know the value of money. I am an Igbo woman. I am a businesswoman.
“I will not sell my child’s rights for money; I want justice. If Pastor (William) Kumuyi was molested as a child, would he be where he is today?
“I didn’t tell anybody to demand N100 million for me. Maybe that’s how the lawyer wants to take them to court. Let me drink garri, wear my fake necklace and earrings while giving a voice to the voiceless.”
During the Facebook session, Archibong also narrated how he was allegedly assaulted by a teacher and senior pupils in the school.
According to an earlier report by Vanguard newspaper, Deborah and Iniobong Archibong (Don-Davis’ parents), in a letter addressed to the school through their solicitors, Eagle-Eyes Network Chambers, and signed by David Okokon (Esq), had demanded N100 million in damages for the pain and trauma caused to their son.
The letter, addressed to the Principal of the school, was titled “Gross Child abuse, palpable molestation, serial bullying, criminal starvation, malicious oppression, and dubious maltreatment of master Don-Davies Archibong (11 years old) by the Principal and Boarding Master of Deeper Life Secondary School, Uyo”.
In the letter which was dated December 22, 2020, the school was given 21 days on receipt of the letter to pay the N100 million.
The letter reads in part, “We are solicitors for Mr and Mrs Iniobong Archibong, resident in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State hereinafter referred to as our client. We have the firm explicit and unequivocal instructions to write to you on the above subject matter.
“It is indeed provocatively heartbroken, morally suicidal, religiously hypocritical that our clients’ 11-year-old son was torrentially bombarded with physical, and inhuman torture of debilitating dimensions with resultant castration of his human person, dignity, and childhood innocence.
“We respectfully demand the payment of N100,000,000 within 21 days upon the receipt of this letter as compensation to assuage the dehumanising, horrendous torture and indignity our clients’ son was subjected to and for his medical checkup and medication.”
The Akwa Ibom State government had earlier announced its decision to withdraw from investigating the matter, leaving it in the hands of the police and other relevant bodies.
