LAGOS: A Nigerian court sentenced a university lecturer to jail after he demanded sex from a female student to boost her marks in a landmark ruling designed to address "rampant" sexual harassment on campuses.
Judge Maurine Onyetenu at the Federal High Court in Osogbo found Richard Akindele, a professor at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, southwest Nigeria, guilty of corruption and sexual harassment on Monday.
His lawyers had asked for a plea bargain after his arraignment on November 19 but the request was rejected by the judge. "This kind of issue is too rampant in our tertiary institutions. We send children to school, they come home telling us that lecturers want to sleep with them," judge Onyetenu said.
Akindele was found guilty on all four charges and sentenced to two years in jail. "We cannot continue like this. Somebody has to be used as example. Even primary schools pupils are complaining," Onyetenu said. "It is time for the court to start upholding the right of the children, especially female students. The case is endemic," she added.
Liberal Justice Elena Kagan on Sept. 13, 2016. — Slate website WASHINGTON: U.S. Supreme Court justices, wading back...
A representational image of inmates behind jail bars. — Unsplash/FileMOSCOW: A Russian court on Wednesday ordered...
Sudanese soldiers guard the surrounding area of the UNMIS compound in El-Fasher, the administrative capital of North...
US quietly shipped ATACMS missiles to Ukraine. — Report news agencyWASHINGTON: The United States in recent weeks...
US President Joe Biden during his address in California. — AFP FileWASHINGTON: President Joe Biden signed a...
The World Meteorological Organisation flag. — AFP FileGENEVA: Global temperatures hit record highs last year, and...