Randy Lecturer Sentenced To Six Years Imprisonment
Justice Maureen Onyetenu of a Federal High Court, Osogbo has on Monday sentenced the sex-for-mark former lecturer of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) into six years imprisonment to run for two years.
Earlier in the morning, Justice Onyetenu had stood down the case because Akindele, his counsel and the ICPC counsel, Shogunle Adenekan were not in courtroom but somewhere else for a meeting, bargaining on the case.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, the former lecturer admitted committing all offences and changed his plea from ‘not guilty’ to ‘guilty’ to the four count charges brought against him.
Subsequently, Counsel to the ICPC, Adenekan, pleaded to court to grant the accused the Custodian Sentence which will make him to walk under watch, in bargain that Akindele will help on their investigation and efforts to expose others who perpetrate similar act.
Efforts by the defence counsel, Francis Omotosho and ICPC counsel to persuade the court, to give the randy lecturer the Custodian sentence failed.
Justice Onyetenu frowned at the bargain, insisting that the offence committed by Akindele was rampant among lectures in higher institutions and even among teachers of secondary schools and someone must be made a scapegoat to shows to the society that “by soliciting sex to pass students is a sin”.
“Giving him custodian sentence is not the solution; this is dangerous to educational system in Nigeria. The country is not producing the best again because some students feel they can give sex to lecturer to pass them.”
“The plea bargain is not absolute. The court still has discretion and in exercising that discretion, I insist that the act must stop. 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”, Justice Onyetenu lamented.
Counsel to the defendant, Omotosho informed the court that the defendant has lost his job and has learnt his lesson.
He also said, the University has discovered the mistake in the marking of the examination paper of the victim and has concluded plans to compensate her.
The Counsel further told the court that plans are ongoing to make offices of lecturers open by building the front side with glasses at OAU.
But, the Judge, who apparently not convinced with the prayer of the counsel, said “do you think they do it in the office? They go to hotels”.
Counsel to the ICPC, Adenekan, urged the court to confiscate the mobile phone of the defendant and forfeit it to the federal government, saying that sensitive materials were discovered there during forensic.
He also urged the court to grant order, releasing the mobile phone of the victim, Monica.
After considering the plea bargaining entered and signed by Counsels, the Judge said there is a need to deter other people because of the nature of the case.
While giving her judgment, she said, “A plea bargain was enter into by the prosecutor and the defense, but I have also considered the nature, as well as the gravity of this offence, as well as the act which is prevalent in our country.
“Our level of education in this country is gradually fading off. This court frown at this action and because of that, even though I am still very merciful, this court hereby sentence the defendant thus: on the first count, the defendant is sentence to 24 months imprisonment; on the second count, the defendant is sentence to term of 24 months imprisonment; on the third count, the defendant is sentence to term of one year imprisonment and on the fourth count, the defendant is sentence to term of one year imprisonment. Sentences are to run concurrently.”
She ordered that the phone of the defendant Samsung X8 should be forfeited to the Federal Government and the phone of the victim Samsung X4 should be return to her.
