Crime

Sex-For-Marks: What Monica Osagie told panel—Counsel

Dr Abiola Akinyode-Afolabi, the defence counsel to Miss Monica Osagie, the alleged victim in the sex-for-marks scandal at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, said on Tuesday that  her client affirmed before an investigative panel that Prof. Richard Akindele deliberately failed her because she refused his sexual demand.

Osagie had appeared before the committee set up by the institution’s authorities  in company of her counsel.

Osagie, a postgraduate student in the Masters of Business programme, had released a recorded telephone conversation, which went viral, in which the lecturer identified as Akindele, allegedly demanded sex for marks.

The committee, which held its session at the Pro -Chancellor’s Lodge on the campus, allowed only Osagie and her counsel  into the venue.

Journalists, students and some members of the National Human Right Commission who came to witness the sitting were not allowed into the venue of the sitting by security personnel of the institution who manned the entrance.

Akinyode-Afolabi, who spoke with newsmen after the closed door session which lasted more than seven hours, said Osagie told the panel that she passed the course but was later failed by the don because of her refusal to sleep with him.

She said that Osagie narrated in details what transpired between her and the don, adding that lawyers present at the meeting were not allowed to make any contribution.

Akinyode-Afolabi , who is the Executive Director for Human Advocate Research  and  Documentation Centre, Abuja, said that Osagie also informed the panel that she recorded the conversation between her and the professor as an evidence.

She said Osagie  also informed the panel that she reported the sexual harassment by the don to some lecturers in the university, adding that no action was taken by them.

Akinyode-Afolabi said some lawyers who represented the lecturers who Osagie claimed she reported the case to also appear before the panel.

She said  that Osagie also told the panel that she did not score  33 per cent as alleged but was failed so that she could bow to the sexual demand of  the don.

Akinyode-Afolabi said she was optimistic that the outcome of the investigative panel would serve as a lesson to other lecturers who also engage in such practices.

She, however, urged the panel to ensure that justice prevail on the issue so as to maintain the integrity of the institution.

Akinyode-Afolabi, who did not allow Osagie to talk to newsmen, said her client would always be available to give evidence whenever she was called upon.

Members of the panel did not also speak with newsmen after the meeting.

It may be recalled that a recorded audio conversation of the don demanding for sex to increase the marks of the female postgraduate student had gone viral.

The audio recording had generated reactions from a cross-section of the public until the university authorities reacted.

The vice chancellor on Friday confirmed the suspension of Akindele.

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

He also said that the female voice in the audio had been identified as that of Miss Monica Osetobe Osagie, a Postgraduate Student in the Master of Business Administration Regular programme.

The vice chancellor said that though the investigative committee invited both Akindele and Osagie, only the don had appeared before the committee.

 

 

 

 

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