Court remands OAU ex-professor in sex-for-marks scandal

A federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has ordered the remand of Prof. Richard Akindele of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, for allegedly demanding sex from his student, Monica Osagie.

Akindele was arraigned before Justice Maurine Onyetenu by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on a four-count charge yesterday.

The ICPC alleged that the accused unlawfully demanded sex from his student and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section A (1)(2) of the corrupt practices and other related offences.

The charge cheat reads thus: “That you Professor Richard Iyiola Akindele on 16 September, 2017, did unlawfully solicit for sex from your student Monica Osagie, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 of the corrupt practices and other related offences, 2000.”

The embattled former lecturer was also accused to have unlawfully had WhatsApp conversation with Osagie sometimes in June 2018, and thereby committed an offence contrary to the law. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge leveled against him.

His counsel, Mr. F. Omotosho, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail, arguing that he is a known personality who cannot jump bail. The prosecutor, who is a senior legal officer with the ICPC, Mr. Kehinde Adetoye, opposed the oral bail application of the counsel, stating that the accused has refused to appear at the commission since he was granted administrative bail.