OAU suspends sex-for -mark professor
Ogunbodede, who said this in a statement on Thursday, added that the committee set up by the university to investigate the sex-for-mark allegation, established a prima face case against the lecturer. This is just as the alleged victim denied knowledge of the incident, saying she did not know why her name was mentioned and who leaked the recording.
Akindele had in a telephone conversation allegedly demanded five rounds of sex from Osagie to change her mark from 33 to a pass. The leaked conversation went viral on the social media as Nigerians called for thorough investigation into the incident and punishment of culprits.
The OAU had issued a statement, saying it had set
up a committee to look into the case.
The VC, who announced the interim recommendation
of the committee, said Akindele had been suspended.
He said, “In the interim report submitted to the
Vice Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, Professor Richard I. Akindele,
of the Department of Management and Accounting, is now established to be the
lecturer in the controversial “marks for sex” audio recording. The female voice
has also been identified as that of Miss Monica Osetobe Osagie, a postgraduate
student of the Master of Business Administration regular programme.
“Having regard to the gravity of the offence for
which Professor Richard I. Akindele is found to be prima facie liable, the vice
chancellor, in line with the Code of Conduct for the university community and
acting under all the laws and regulations of the university enabling him in
that regard, has directed that Professor Richard I. Akindele be suspended
forthwith from the university, pending the final determination of the
disciplinary case against him.”
He added that the university could not terminate
the appointment of the lecturer now because such an action could only be taken
by the governing council after the professor had been found guilty by the Joint
Council and Senate Committee of the university.
Meanwhile, our correspondent contacted one Monica
Osagie on Thursday through her Facebook profile which revealed that she
graduated from OAU and had her postgraduate at the school.
The OAU MBA profile photo, which she later
removed, showed 2015/2016 session.
Although Osagie agreed to taking Akindele’s
course, she denied being the one in the audio.
She said, “I don’t just understand what you guys
are talking about. I don’t know about anything because I am busy running after
money. This man’s name was mentioned, but was my name mentioned there (audio)?
So, how did you know I am the one? The school has not approached me or called
me and you guys are harassing me. I don’t know what you guys want from me. I
have not received any call and I don’t know what you guys are saying.”
When our correspondent asked pointedly if she was
not the one in the audio, she said, “Did you hear my name there? How did you
know I am the one in the audio? How did you even get my name?”
After our correspondent told her that the school
issued a statement and the name: Monica Osetobe Osagie was mentioned, she said
there was no ‘T’ in her middle name.
“I did not fail his (Akindele’s) course. Go and
check the records, I did not fail it…. I don’t have any information to give
you. The (OAU) PRO has not called me and nobody has called me. My name was not
there; my face was not there.
“I finished from OAU. I read online that the man
said this thing happened in OAU two years ago. I am not sure I was in OAU two
years ago doing my master’s degree. Stop looking for cases that are not there.
The person that mentioned my name is a liar…. I don’t want to talk to any media
person about my personal deals. I don’t know who leaked it out to the media and
I don’t care,” she added.
Punch
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