A lecturer of the Kwara State University (KWASU) has been arraigned over offences bordering on criminal intimidation, sexual harassment, and examination malpractices, among others.
Pelumi Adewole, the academic, was arrested by the state intelligence bureau and brought before a magistrate’s court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara for allegedly arranging an exam resit for a student in his bedroom.
The police first information report said a petition, dated October 15, 2021, was written by the student of the department of pure and applied science of KWASU, who complained of sexual harassment by the lecturer.
The student, according to the police, alleged that, in September 2021, Adewole called and threatened to fail her in the forthcoming exams if she refused to have sex with him.
The police were said to have instructed the student to play along with him in order to obtain evidence.
The lecturer was alleged to have lured the student into his room along Taoheed Road, Basin Area, Ilorin, where he gave her a question paper and answer script of KWASU to rewrite her exam.
It was gathered that Adewole planned on having sex with the lady till daybreak.
At the court sitting, the lecturer pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Nasiru Yusuf, the prosecutor, asked the court to remand Adewole in custody, arguing that the offences weren’t bailable.
He noted that sexual harassment had become rampant in institutions of higher learning in the country.
A.J. Opalekunde, the lead defence counsel, prayed the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms, saying the defendant was still innocent until found guilty by the court.
In his verdict, Ibrahim Mohammed, the magistrate, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with a surety in like sum.
The case was thereafter adjourned till December 8.