Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, Dr Adelaja Adekoya said yesterday that nobody came forward to testify against the alleged rapist lecturer, Akin Baruwa, when the school set up a panel to investigate the matter.
Adekoya, while speaking with Daily Trust, said it is not true that the institution refused to investigate a petition allegedly written by another victim against Baruwa.
According Adekoya, the varsity’s Vice Chancellor has a reputation and will not have cover up such a case.
He said when the panel was constituted, nobody came forward to testify against the lecturer and as such the institution could not be accused of complicity.
“The vice chancellor we have here is a credible man. He does not condone unethical conducts. If a complaint is filed against any lecturer, I can tell you that there is nobody that can intervene at that level. What we know is that when the panel was constituted based on the alleged victim’s complaint, nobody came forward to testify against the man and as such the case died a natural death. Even in a law court, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although, I sympathise with the complainant, the case must be proved,” Adekoya said.
Baruwa, a supposed lecturer/project supervisor with UNILAG was alleged to have raped an 18-year-old admission seeker in his office a few weeks ago. The development attracted a lot of interest and the university disowned the lecturer.
The UNILAG ASUU chairman said Baruwa is not a member of the academic union. He also said the management and ASUU set up separate panels.
On why the school and union will investigate someone who is neither on the payroll nor a member of ASUU, Adekoya said the management is aware of the fact that the supposed incidence took place within the varsity’s property and as such there was a need to find out “insider collaborators who could have made such facilities available to him”.
The ASUU chairman said the management and union will ensure that anyone found culpable in the incident is punished.S
SOURCE: Daily Times
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