Sex-for-mark scandal: Protest as probe panel attempts to deny victim access to lawyer

There was protest Tuesday morning at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, as the probe panel set up by the institution to look into a sex-for-mark scandal involving a student, Monica Osagie, and a lecturer of Department of Accounting, Richard Akindele, attempted to deny a lawyer of the student access to its proceedings.

Miss Osagie’s lawyer, who is a representative of the National Human Rights Commission, and journalists were denied entrance by the school’s security personnel to the Pro-Chancellor’ s Lodge on the campus where the investigative panel was sitting.

However, the student’s lawyers led by the Executive Director of Women Advocates, Research and Documentation Centre, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, protested that they must be allowed to watch the proceedings of the panel.

After several hours of engagement, one of the lawyers was permitted to enter with Miss Osagie for the session to begin, but journalists were not allowed in.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Eyitope Ogunbodede, confirmed Miss Osagie’s appearance before the panel.

“I have been told that the lady is appearing before the panel already,” he said.

The Vice-Chancellor, last week, officially announced the suspension of Mr. Akindele as a preliminary measure following the recommendations of the probe panel.


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