Deeper Life school: Court directs alleged victim’s mother to stop social media comments

Deeper Life schoolboy mother Deborah Okezie

The Magistrate Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State warned Deborah Archibong mother of a student of Deeper Life High School, Uyo, Don-Davis Archibong, who was allegedly sexually assaulted, to desist from making comments or posting any material on the issue on social media, lawyers told journalists on Wednesday.

Police had about a fortnight ago arraigned seven persons, including minors, over the alleged incident.

Prosecution lawyer David Okokon told reporters after the court sitting that at the first appearance in court on January 6, 2021, the plaintiff was warned against making social media comments on the issue since it was in the court.

Journalists were barred from covering court proceedings on Wednesday.

Mr Okokon said it was standard practice for journalists to be disallowed from covering cases involving minors.

“Procedurally, since it was a juvenile court, journalists were not allowed to observe the proceedings. A juvenile court deserves a jurisprudencial privacy it has,” he said.

Counsel to the defendant Nojin Tairu said; “At the end of the proceedings you will have all the fact and all that transpired in the court.”

The case was adjourned to February 10, 2021 for continuation of hearing.