A former lecturer in Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Professor Richard Akindele who was earlier dismissed for allegedly asking for sex to pass one of his students, Monica Osagie has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Justice Malqueen Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, gave the ruling on Monday.
The accused had changed his ‘not guilty’ plea to ‘guilty’ after which the prosecutor, Mr. Shogunle Adenekan announced that all parties involved have reached a plea bargain and pleaded for a suspended sentence for the accused.
However, Justice Onyetenu said “the plea bargain is not absolute. The court still have discretion. “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 example. Even primary schools pupils are complaining. 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 s time for the court to start upholding the right of the children, especially female students. The case is endemic.”
Counsel to the defendant, Mr. Francis Omotosho, informed the court that the defendant has lost his job and has learnt his lesson.
