Judith Okosun, the 400-level Mechanical Engineering student at the centre of the July 2010 sex-for-grades scandal at the Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State, has been suspended for six semesters.
Judith Okosun, the 400-level Mechanical Engineering student at the centre of the July 2010 sex-for-grades scandal at the Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State, has been suspended for six semesters.
In a report, THE NEWS said that Engr. Peter Otubu, the lecturer whose demand of sexual favours in exchange for good grades led to the crisis, was fired by the University, this was confirmed by the university authorities today.
In July 2010, Saharareporters broke the story of the scandal. Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who is the Visitor of the institution, immediately demanded an investigation and report.
The university, which Ms. Okosun’s lawyer claimed to have been informed of the incident from the beginning, although its spokesman denied it, set up two committees. The student was found guilty of “breaching her matriculation oath”.
This means that Ms. Okosun a victim of Dr. Otubu’s wayward ways will not be able to complete her studies at the university several years later than before Mr. Otubu’s intervention. Also, the university offers no guarantee that another randy lecturer will not be waiting with a new grading “system”, or to exact vengeance.
Dr. Otubu’s case was instructive according to the university vice chancellor who rendered an account of his past to the NEWS magazine, as stated here: “Professor Sam Uniamikogbo, the university’s Vice-Chancellor, explained why Judith was also sanctioned. “The student was aware of the university’s rules and regulations and once any student violates any of the rules, that student will be disciplined,’’ he told TheNEWS. The rules, said the Vice-Chancellor, forbid students from taking laws into their own hands, as Judith seemed to have done. Uniamikogbo is, however, still shocked by the conduct of Otubu. Prior to the scandal, the V-C said, Otubu was considered chaste; having helped the university authorities bust a lecturer who habitually demanded sex from married undergraduates. ‘‘It was Otubu that we put on the case. The married woman was told to play along. Otubu helped us to arrest the lecturer at the hotel to which he had invited the woman. I could never have imagined that a man we thought was clean and a veritable role model would be involved in this kind of scandal,” Uniamikogbo said ruefully.
The university terminated Dr. Otubu’s appointment on October 26 2010.
A source at the university told SaharaReporters that Judith has gone to court to challenge her wrongful rustication from the university.