OAU suspends Professor Akindele after studying investigate committee's report that indicts him

OBAFEMI Awolowo University (OAU) has suspended Professor Richard Akindele the accounting lecturer at the centre of the controversial audio conversation in which he demanded sex from a female student in return for passing her.

 

Earlier this month, Professor Akindele created a storm after a conversation between him and an unnamed female student was made public. In the conversation, he demanded that the student have sex with him five teams in exchange for him passing her in an accounting course which he was taking.

 

Since the scandal became public, OAU has been under pressure to take disciplinary action against the academic but the university maintained that it cannot do so unless a formal complaint is lodged. However, it appears that the pressure has not become too much and yesterday, the OAU vice chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, said a prima facie case has been established against Professor Akindele.

 

A university spokesman said: “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.

 

"The vice chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has received and considered the interim report of the committee set up to investigate the allegation of sexual harassment revealed in a recent audio recording. In the interim report, Professor Richard  Akindele, of the Department of Management and Accounting, is now established to be the lecturer in the controversial marks for sex audio recording and the female voice has also been identified as that of Miss Monica Osetobe Osagie, a postgraduate student on the Master of Business Administration Regular programme.

 

"Although the investigative committee had invited both Professor Akindele and Miss Osagie, only Professor Akindele had appeared before the committee, while Miss Osagie is yet to appear or make any representation. The report indicated that many other witnesses appeared before the committee and gave useful evidence but the university is making efforts to ensure that Miss Osagie appears before the investigative committee so that it can hear her side of the case and promptly submit its final report."

 

He added that the committee observed that a prima facie case of inappropriate relationship with the female student had been established against Professor Akindele and the vice chancellor, having carefully and dispassionately considered the report, also came to the conclusion that a prima facie case of serious misconduct had been established. According to the spokesman, having regard to the gravity of the offence for which Professor Akindele is found to be prima facie liable, the vice chancellor, in line with the code of conduct and acting under all the laws and regulations of the university, has directed that the academic be suspended forthwith, pending the final determination of the disciplinary case against him.

 

 

 

"Under the provisions of the relevant statute of the university, an academic staff can only be dismissed from service or have his or her appointment terminated only when the matter on which consideration is being given has been investigated by a Joint Council and Senate Committee and the staff has appeared before the committee with his or her counsel, if so desired. This procedure is the minimum requirement of the law and regulations of the University.

 

"It should therefore be noted that the suspension of Professor Richard Akindele is on the basis of the findings of the investigative committee that he is prima facie liable and this decision will abide, pending the final determination of the case by the Council of the University. We will like to reiterate that OAU will continue to do everything legally and morally acceptable in pursuance of its avowed commitment to zero tolerance for sexual harassment, intimidation and, or coercion,” the spokesman added.

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