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Tag: Sex-for-marks

  • AAU suspends ASUU chairman over alleged sexual assault

    Authorities of the Ambrose Alli University ( AAU  ), Ekpoma have suspended the institution’s chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Prof. Monday Igbafen over alleged sexual harassment.

    Prof. Igbafen who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy was alleged to have been threatening female students with marks for sex.

    A press statement signed by the university’s spokesman, Mr. Edward Aihevba, said the suspension followed the arraignment of Prof. Igbafen before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee (SSDC) on allegations of gross misconduct bordering on sexual harassment and threat of marks for sex.

    Aihevba said Prof. Igbafen has earlier been found culpable and indicted by an investigative panel of the University for the Offence of sexual harassment.

    He said a family of a female victim had threatened to drag the institution before the ICPC if it failed to bring Prof. Igbafen to book.

    According to the statement, “On receipt of the petition, the university management asked for his comments. His response was found unsatisfactory. He was therefore arraigned before the SSDC.

    “As due process demands, he has been suspended from the university pending the determination of the allegation leveled against him.

    “He is therefore not allowed to participate or involved in any university duties or functions except those related to SSDC during the period of his suspension.”

    Responding, Prof. Igbafen said he would expose the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ignacious Onimawo, to the world that blackmail does not work within the university.

    Prof. Igbafen said the suspension was part of a grand plan to intimidate ASUU chapter of the university.

    He said the VC has a personal vendetta against him.

    Read Also: AAU to resume Sunday as some dons ditch ASUU for CONUA

    According to him, “It is a grand plot that will fail. The VC is desperate because he has so many things to hide. He is looking for a weak ASUU to manipulate.

    “That petition was written against two of us when I was a Lecturer II in 2011. I answered it that my hands are clean. Is that why he is denying me of my promotion?

    “All these things are plot to destabilise the Union. It is a cheap blackmail. The VC is desperate to decimate ASUU. I know he is behind all the petitions against me.”

  • OAU sex-for-mark lecturer sentenced to six years

    The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Monday sentenced the former senior lecturer of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Richard Akindele, to six years for demanding sex to pass her student, Miss Monica Osagie.

    The presiding judge, Justice Maurine Onyetenu, passed the judgement after the former lecturer had changed his earlier plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” in anticipation that he could be pardoned.

    Akindele on a four count charge was sentenced to 24 months on count one, 24 months on count two, one year on count three and another one year on count four.

    However, the judge, who ruled that the jail term should run concurrently, also ordered that the Samsung X4 of the victim should be returned to her and the Samsung X8 of the defendant should be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    After the judgement, the defence counsel, Francis Omotoso, pleaded with the court to suspend the sentence and negotiated for a plea bargain but Justice Onyetenu declined, saying “the rampant cases of students harassment by lecturers should be stopped.”

    The judge, who affirmed that plea bargain is not absolute, said it was at the discretion of the court.

    She said: “This kind of issue is too rampant in our tertiary institutions. We send children to school, they come home telling us that lecturers want to sleep with them. We can not continue like this. Somebody has to be used as a scale goat. Even primary schools pupils are complaining.

    Read Also: Court remands 28-year-old for alleged robbery

    “Telling me to suspend sentence does not arise. Plea bargain does not arise. May be the case continue to occur and reoccur because someone has not been used as example. It is time for the court to start upholding the right of the children, especially female students. The case is endemic.”

    The defence counsel further informed the court that Akindele had lost his job and learnt his lesson, adding that the university had also discovered an error in the victim’s examination paper’s marking and had concluded plans to compensate her.

    The counsel further told the court that the OAU management is planing to make offices of the lecturers open by building the front side with glasses to discourage immorality.

    But the judge turned prayer of the counsel down and simply said, “do you think they do it in the office? They go to hotel.”

    Counsel to the Independent Corrupt Paractices and Other Offenses (ICPC), Mr. Shogunle Adenekan, earlier urged the court to confiscate the mobile phone of the defendant and make him forfeit it to the federal government.

    He told the court that sensitive materials were discovered in the cell phone during forensic investigation but advised that the mobile phone of the victim be released to her.

  • Court denies OAU sex-for-marks lecturer bail

    A Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday refused to grant bail to a former Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) lecturer, Prof. Richard Akindele, charged with demanding sex to pass his student, Monica Osagie.

    Justice Maureen Onyetenu ordered Akindele to be remanded in Ilesa Prison until December 17.

    She ordered the prosecution counsel from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to produce video evidence of the lecturer and his student allegedly having fun.

    ICPC Senior Legal Officer Mr Kehinde Adetoye had prayed the court to deny the defendant bail on the grounds that he would not appear for his trial when released.

    Read also: ASUU: OAU students confused as lecturers split on strike

    He argued that the defendant had refused to turn up at the ICPC office in Abuja after a written agreement to honour any invitation extended to him, particularly on his return from abroad on a medical trip.

    Defence counsel Mr. Francis Omotosho prayed the court to grant his client bail pending the final determination of the case.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lecturer was first arraigned before Justice Maureen Onyetenu on November 19 by the ICPC on four counts of alteration of age and demanding sex to pass his student.

     

  • Sex-for-marks: ICPC to arraign ex-OAU don on Monday

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said it is set for the trial of a former lecturer at the  Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Richard Iyiola Akindele, for allegedly demanding sex from  a student, Monica Osagie.

    Akindele, who will be arraigned on November 19 at the Federal High Court, Osogbo, has opted for plea bargain based on ill-health, which will not allow him to serve prison terms.

    A statement yesterday by the ICPC spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa,  said: “Prof. Akindele will be docked on a three-count charge, having been accused of using his position as a lecturer in the Department of Management and Accounting to demand for sexual benefit from a student and fraudulently upgrade her result in Research Method course, which she supposedly failed in 2017.

    “His actions were contrary to Sections 8 (1) (a) (ii), and 18 (d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and are punishable under the same sections.

    One of the counts reads,: “That you, Professor Akindele, on or about September 16, 2017, at Ile-Ife did corruptly ask for sexual benefits for yourself from Ms. Monica Osagie on account of favour to be afterwards shown to her by you in the discharge of your official duties as a lecturer in the Department of Management and Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University, to wit; altering her academic grades in the course with code MBA 632- Research Method from fail to pass; and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 8(1)(a)(ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

    “The 57-year-old professor has asked for plea-bargain, having admitted guilt. He also cited ill-health as a factor that may make him unable to stand the rigours of prison life, notifying the commission through his lawyer, Omotayo Alade-Fawole.

    “He pleaded that his prayers for plea-bargain be considered, more so as he was already serving punishment for his offence having been sacked by the university.

    “It can be recalled that in an interview granted a newspaper, Ms. Osagie had expressed a lack of confidence in the capacity of ICPC to give her a fair hearing.

    “This public announcement of Professor Akindele’s impending arraignment is in fulfillment of the commission’s promise to the public on September 7, 2018, to avail them of the outcome of the investigation in due time.”

  • Sex-for-marks: OAU sacks Akindele

    The Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)  in Ile-Ife, Osun State, has dismissed Prof. Richard Akindele for alleged involvement in a sex-for-marks scandal.

    OAU’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, announced Akindele’s dismissal in a statement yesterday in Ile-Ife.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice chancellor, on April 19, confirmed Akindele’s suspension pending the findings of an investigative panel.

    Miss Monica Osagie, a student in the Masters of Business programme, had released a recorded telephone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer, identified as Akindele, demanded five rounds of sex to enhance her marks.

    Ogunbodede said the university’s Senate, at its meeting on June 14, considered the committee’s finding that Akindele had an inappropriate relationship with his student.

    The vice chancellor said this was established through their conversation in the audio recording, his reply to the query, the oral evidence and the printed ‘WhatsApp conversations’ tendered before the committee.

    He said: “He offered to change Miss Osagie’s purported “33 per cent” result to a pass mark in consideration for sexual favours; this was established in the audio recording which he admitted.

    “His claim that Miss Osagie knew that she had passed with a score of ‘45’ but was seeking to score an ‘A’ and that this led to him being sexually harassed by Miss Osagie cannot be supported by any evidence.

    “Professor Akindele’s action in requesting for sexual favours from Miss Osagie to change her examination scores was a scandalous behaviour that has brought ridicule to the name of the university and tarnished the reputation of the university, as it portrays the university as an institution where its teachers and examiners trade marks for sexual favours.

    “From the evidence, Miss Osagie had no idea that she scored ‘45’, a pass mark, as later claimed by Professor Akindele, although she later found out she did not fail the course.

    “Professor Akindele’s claim that he reported Miss Osagie’s ‘harassment’ to his colleagues cannot be supported by any evidence as all his colleagues denied it and one mentioned that she only talked about the matter with him after the audio recording was released over the internet.

    “Professor Akindele operated in a position of power and authority over Miss Osagie and as such sexually harassed her.

    “Professor Akindele was liable for all the allegations of misconduct levelled against him.”

    The vice chancellor said the Senate recommended that Akindele, having been found liable on all the allegations against him, should be dismissed from the services of the university.

    “The Council, at its meeting on June 20, having considered the recommendation of Senate, as well as the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, decided that Professor Richard I. Akindele should be dismissed from the services of the university for gross misconduct.

    “The university has also taken further steps to ensure the total elimination of Sexual Harassment (SH) in the OAU community.

    “The university has a legal duty to prevent sexual and gender-based harassment within the institution and ensure that both men and women are protected from this menace; and thereby provide conducive environment for teaching and learning,” he said.

    Ogunbodede noted that to create conducive environment for teaching and learning, the university was creating more awareness and disseminating information on what constitutes sexual harassment within the university.

    He said: “OAU has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and as a renowned university will do everything humanly possible to maintain the rules and regulations of the university,” Ogunbodede said.

    Miss Osagie’s lawyer, Mrs. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said it was a victory, not for the student alone but also for other students in Nigerian schools.

    She said: “We hope it will be a lesson for other predators. It’s been a tortious journey. We do hope lessons are learnt by all. For the institutions, it’s important that mechanisms are in place to checkmate sexual harassment.

    “There should a whistle-blower policy that can protect informants from being further victimised. The school system should be more accessible and sensitive to students’ situations…”

  • Sex for marks: OAU sacks Professor

    The Governing Council of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife has dismissed Prof Richard Akindele for sexually harassing Ms Monica Osagie, a student of the university.

    The Council announced his dismissal at its meeting yesterday following the recommendation of the university Senate on June 20, 2018.

    The Senate had considered the report of the committee set up to investigate the allegations of sexual misconduct and established that Osagie was truly sexually harassed by Akindele.

    In its report to the Council, the Senate noted that:

    “Professor Akindele had an inappropriate relationship with his student Miss Osagie.  This was established through their conversation in the audio recording; his reply to the query; the oral evidence; and the printed ‘WhatsApp conversations’ tendered before the Committee.

    “He had acted in a manner that is seen to have compromised his position as a teacher and examiner, in that, his conversations with Miss Osagie were about examination scores and inducement of favour for the alteration of examination scores.

    Miss Monica Osagie, a student in the Masters of Business programme, had released a recorded telephone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer identified as Akindele  demanded five rounds of sex to enhance her marks.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede said that the University Senate at its meeting on June 14 considered the committee’s finding that Akindele had an inappropriate relationship with his student.

    He said this was established through their conversation in the audio recording,  his reply to the query,  the oral evidence  and the printed ‘WhatsApp conversations’ tendered before the committee.

    The vice chancellor  said Akindele had acted in a manner that  compromised his position as a teacher and examiner  in that  his conversations with  Osagie were about examination scores and inducement of favour for the alteration of examination scores.

    Ogunbodede said :  ” He offered to change Miss Osagie’s purported “33%” result to a pass mark in consideration for sexual favours;  this was established in the audio recording which he admitted.

    ” His claim that Miss Osagie knew that she had passed with a score of ‘45’ but was seeking to score an ‘A’ and that this led to him being sexually harassed by Miss Osagie cannot be supported by any evidence.

    ” Professor Akindele’s actions in requesting for sexual favours from Miss Osagie to change her examination scores was scandalous behaviour that has brought ridicule to the name of the university and has tarnished the reputation of the university, as it portrays the university as an institution where its teachers and examiners trade marks for sexual favours.

    ” From the evidence, Miss Osagie had no idea that she scored ‘45’, a pass mark as later claimed by Professor Akindele, although she later found out she did not fail the course.

    ” Professor Akindele’s claim that he reported Miss Osagie’s ‘harassment’ to his colleagues cannot be supported by any evidence as all his colleagues denied it and one mentioned that she only talked about the matter with him after the audio recording was released over the internet.

    ” Professor Akindele operated in a position of power and authority over Miss Osagie and as such sexually harassed her.

    Read Also: Sex-for-marks: Prof. failed me deliberately, says student

    The Senate therefore found him “liable for all the allegations of misconduct levelled against him” and recommended his dismissal.

    To check sexual harassment in the university, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Eyitope Ogunbodede, said the institution had strengthened its Sexual Harassment policy which was approved since 2013 and was developing a whistleblowing policy to encourage students and members of staff to report cases.

    ” The Council, at its meeting of today, Wednesday, 20th of June, 2018, having considered the recommendation of Senate, as well as the report of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, decided that Professor Richard I. Akindele should be dismissed from the services of the university for gross misconduct.

    ” The university has also taken further steps to ensure the total elimination of Sexual Harassment (SH) in the OAU community.

    “The university has a legal duty to prevent sexual and gender-based harassment within the institution and ensure that both men and women are protected from this menace; and thereby provide conducive environment for teaching and learning,’’ he said.

    Ogunbodede said in order to create conducive environment for teaching and learning, the university was creating more awareness and disseminating information on what constitutes sexual harassment within the university.

    He said the veracity of  sexual harassment concepts includes sexual solicitation and advances, sex exploitation, prostitution, seduction, pimping, sexual assault, unwanted touching, vulgar sexual jokes and  rape among others.

    Ogunbodede said that OAU was fully committed to the eradication of sexual and other types of harassment from the university and would do all that was  possible to nip the menace in the bud.

    ” OAU has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and as a renowned university will do everything humanly possible to maintain the rules and regulations of the university,’’ he said.

    Miss Monica Osagie, the alleged victim in the sex-for-marks scandal, had told the investigative panel that Prof. Richard Akindele allegedly failed her because she refused his sexual demand.

    She said she did not score 33 per cent as the lecturer claimed, alleging that he failed her so that she could accede to his sexual request.

    According to her lawyer, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Monica gave evidence at the panel .

    Monica, a Master’s student, released a recorded phone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer, identified as Akindele, demanded five rounds of sex to increase her marks.

    The committee, which held its session at the Pro-Chancellor’s Lodge, admitted only Monica and her lawyer.

  • Sex-for-marks: OAU alumni association calls for diligent probe

    The Ibadan branch of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Alumni Association has called on the panel investigating the alleged sex-for-marks scandal at the institution to be diligent and objective in its investigation.

    Its Ibadan branch Chairman Dr Musa Oshodi, made the call  yesterday at the annual picnic of the group.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  one Miss Monica Osagie , a student in the Master of Business Programme at OAU,  had alleged that a lecturer,  Prof. Richard Akindele,  deliberately failed her when she rejected   his request for sex.

    Oshodi, however,  said that the school authorities  must not do anything that would tarnish the good record of the university.

    “The university must sustain the motto of the school which is learning and culture.

    “Justice must be done;  the lecturer must not be allowed  to go unpunished if found guilty  and he  must be freed if  innocent,’’ Oshodi said.

    The chairman said that nobody would question the outcome of the investigation  if the panel was  sincere in its investigation.

    Oshodi also said that the major objective of the alumni association  was to promote the welfare of the  institution’s graduates.

    He called on members of the group  to continue to contribute their quota to the development of the association and the  university and as well sustain the pervading love and harmony.

     

  • Sex-for-marks: Prof. failed me deliberately, says student

    miss Monica Osagie, the alleged victim in the sex-for-marks scandal at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has told an investigative panel that Prof. Richard Akindele allegedly failed her because she refused his sexual demand.

    She said she did not score 33 per cent as the lecturer claimed, alleging that he failed her so that she could accede to his sexual request.

    According to her lawyer, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Monica gave evidence at the panel yesterday.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victim was at the committee with her counsel.

    Monica, a Master’s student, released a recorded phone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer, identified as Akindele, demanded five rounds of sex to increase her marks.

    The committee, which held its session at the Pro-Chancellor’s Lodge, admitted only Monica and her lawyer.

    Reporters, students and members of the National Human Rights Commission, who came to witness the sitting, were not allowed into the venue by the university’s security personnel, who blocked the entrance.

    Akiyode-Afolabi, who addressed reporters after the closed session, which lasted more than seven hours, said Monica told the panel that she passed the course, but was failed by the don because she refused to sleep with him.

    She said Monica narrated what transpired between her and the don, adding that lawyers present were not allowed to make contributions.

    Akiyode-Afolabi, executive director for Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Abuja, said Monica informed the panel that she recorded the conversation between her and the professor.

    She said Monica told the panel that she reported the sexual harassment to some lecturers, adding that no action was taken by them.

    Akiyode-Afolabi said the lawyers representing lecturers who Monica claimed she reported to, were present.

    She said she hoped the outcome of the panel will act as a deterrent to others.

  • Sex-for-marks: OAU ASUU chapter hails prof’s suspension

    The Academic Staff Union (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, says it is satisfied with the suspension Professor Richard Akindele, who was allegedly involved in a sex-for-mark scandal.

    Dr Adeola Egbedodun, Chairperson of the union, in a statement in Osogbo yesterday  commended the university management for the prompt action taken on the recommendations of the investigative panel.

    Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, the OAU Vice Chancellor, on Thursday confirmed the suspension of the professor.

    Ogunbodede, in a statement, said he had received and considered the interim report of the committee set up to investigate the allegation, as revealed in the audio recording.

    The vice chancellor also said that the female voice in the audio had been identified as that of Miss Monica Osetobe Osagie, a postgraduate student on the Master of Business Administration programme.

    A recorded audio conversation of the don demanding for sex to increase the marks of a female postgraduate had gone viral.

    Egbedokun, however, urged the Vice Chancellor and his team not to relent in their efforts to get to the root of the matter and ensure that justice was done.

    “The Obafemi Awolowo University Branch ASUU commends the administration for the step taken towards ensuring sanity in the system.

    “The union expresses satisfaction on the prompt action taken by the administration.

    “ASUU OAU reiterates its commitment to defending the integrity of the code of conduct of the university and to upholding its ethical standards.’’

    Egbedokun, however, urged members of the union to always adhere strictly to the code of conduct guiding their appointment in the university as they carry out their lawful activities.

  • Sex-for-marks: UNICAL don alleges plot to indict him

    Worried by what he described as “phantom allegation”on sexual advances against one of his female students, Prof. Cyril Osim Ndifon, of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, has raised an alarm, accusing the Police and the University management of working in tandem to indict him in the matter.

    Ndifon is at the centre of a sex-for-marks scandal at UNICAL, an allegation he dismissed as “spurious, unfounded and deliberately trumped up with a view to tarnishing my hard earned name and reputation as a long standing academic of several years”.

    The Professor of Law,was suspended last year following a petition to the then Vice Chancellor, Prof James  Epoke, against him by Nkang Sinemobong Ekong, a 400-Level female Law student, who claimed that he raped her in his office while she was re-writing a test on Law of Trust.

    The suspension letter was signed by the Registrar, Mr. Moses Abang.

    It states: “Recall that you were queried on September 1, 2015 over allegations of sexually assaulting and harassing Ms. Nkang Sinemobong Ekong, a 400-Level student in the Faculty of Law while administering test on her in your office on Saturday, August 29, 2015”, adding that his reply on the matter on September 2, 2015, did not meet the expectations of the Vice Chancellor.

    However Ndifon, who denied the allegation, told The Nation that he was not given fair hearing on the matter and accused the University management and  the Police of colluding to frustrate him.

    In his five-page reply to the management’s query on the matter, he explained that the test was administered on the student in the presence of a member of staff, Mr. Inyang Mba, his secretary and other Faculty officials.

    He wondered how such act could have taken place in broad day light without the knowledge of any of these officials.

    Ndifon also said the test conducted on the student in question by the Police Command Headquarters to determine if she was harassed is still being withheld by the Police.

    However, investigations by this reporter revealed that the test administered on the student at Otop Abasi Police Clinic, ‘A’ Division Calabar and supervised by the IPO, Inspector Regina Ekanem, tagged, ‘Rape-357CC’ did not support the claim that she was raped by the Professor on the said day.

    “I wish to state that the petition of Ms. Nkang Sinemobong Ekong, which her parents predicated theirs on, speaks volume of its spuriousness and falsehood. Its careful perusal supports my innocence and reveals that these petitions are absolutely unfounded and maliciously contrived to pull down my integrity”.

    Meanwhile, concerned students of the institution have raised the alarm over what they described as frivolous allegations that lead to brain drain in the nation’s ivory towers.

    Under the aegis of Concerned UNICAL Students for Justice and Truth (CUSJS), the President, who would not want his name in print, called on the Governing Council, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Police High Command, Abuja and the Presidency-to intervene.

    A source at the Police Command Headquarters in Diamond Hill, Calabar, told our Correspondent that “the matter is still under investigation”.