Justice was yesterday served a former ad-hoc lecturer of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akin Baruwa, who was sentenced to 21-years imprisonment for raping an 18-year old female admission seeker.
Ruling on the case, Justice Josephine Oyefeso of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja described the convict’s actions as heinous and that his incarceration should serve as a deterrent to others.
She held that Baruwa violated the young lady’s chastity, which would have left a deep emotional scar from which she may find it difficult to recover.
“This is a crime that not only offends the survivor but also it offends her family, the larger society and God. More painful is that the convict gave the family the impression that he was a lecturer at UNILAG, but the university only required his services on an ad-hoc basis.’’
Pleading on behalf of the convict, the defence counsel, H. I. Omotoba, prayed the court to impose a light sentence and temper justice with mercy.
But the Director of Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yhaqub G. Oshoala, asked the court to impose a stiff sentence to serve as a deterrent to lecturers who prey sexually on students.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has called on journalists, media experts, and civil society organisations to mobilise support for the passage of the Bill for the Prohibition of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions.
Lamptey, represented by the UN Communication Analyst, Mercedes Alfa, said ending violence against women and girls was a key priority area for the body.
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