A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin has arraigned Mr Pelumi Adewole, a lecturer of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete in Moro local government area, on Tuesday for alleged sexual harassment of a female student of the institution.
The suspect was arrested by the men of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) over offences bordering on Criminal Intimidation, Sexual Harassment and Examination Malpractices, among others.
The offences contravened sections 397, 95 of Penal Code Law and Section 3(320) of the Examination Malpractices Act CAP E15 Law Of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), a petition dated 15th October 2021 was written by one Adegunsoye Faith Tosin, a student of the Department of Pure and Applied Science.
Adegunsoye alleged that sometime in September 2021, Adewole who is a lecturer assigned to teach her a course MLS 212 Cell and Molecular Biology called her and threatened to fail her in her forthcoming exams if she refused to have s3xual intercourse with him.
Due to the threat issued by the defendant, the Police instructed Miss Adegunsoye to play along with him in order to obtain raw evidence.
The lecturer thereafter lured the student into his bedroom apartment around 8:30 pm at Taoheed Road, Basin Area, Ilorin where he gave her a new question paper and answer script of KWASU to rewrite her exam with the promise to have s3xual intercourse with her till daybreak.
The suspect was however apprehended in the process by the detectives from SIB who were hiding at a distant location.
He was said to have confessed to the allegations during the course of the investigation.
The Kwara State Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) was also a party in the case.
Its President, Barrister Grace Okoduwa told journalists that the suspect just wedded in June.
However, in his remark, the suspect denied the allegations.
Prosecutor, Nasiru Yusuf in his submission told the court that the offences were not bailable adding that s3xual harassment has become rampant in society.
He urged the court to deny the accused bail.
But the lead Defense counsel, Barrister A.J Opalekunde said the defendant is still presumed innocent until proven guilty and sought bail for his client.
In his ruling, Presiding Magistrate Ibrahim Mohammed however obliged the application of the Defense and granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000.
He thereafter adjourned the case till December 8th, 2021 for further mention.
