College Of Education Covers Up Alleged Assault On Female Students By Lecturer

The management of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto Ijaniki, Lagos, is covering up a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, Gbenga Windapo, after findings by the school showed that he raped female students in his office.

In a document obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday, the school set up a committee three years ago to investigate Windapo's alleged misconduct when a female student (name withheld) accused him of raping her.

The school then set up a committee comprising of six members including Ajayi E.A (Chairman), Bajulaiye A. A., Oladapo P. T., Awobiyi F. M, Fasinro O. M. and Subair Olawale, who served as secretary.

The committee, which was mandated to investigate the matter in its entirety and provide recommendations to the school, invited 18 people comprising of staff, another student, who was allegedly raped by Windapo, students of the Department of Theatre Arts and the Chief Security Officer of the institution.

After conducting its investigation, hearing all testimonies and examining evidence from both victims of the alleged crime, the committee in its documented findings came to the conclusion that in the case of (name withheld), "Mr Windapo slept with her in his office".

The committee also established that he slept with his second victim (name withheld).

Despite establishing his guilt in allegedly molesting two female students, the institution retained Windapo with a slight demotion.

Its recommendation of sanctions to the school management reads, "Letters of warning should be written by the College to (name withheld) and (name withheld) asking them to be more circumspect especially in their relationships with male lecturers.

"Taking into consideration the condition of service of the College, Chapter three 3.00 under discipline, 03 iv) Reduction of rank for major misconduct, (g), 'using official position to intimidate or bargain for sexual favour' it is recommended that Mr Windapo should be demoted in rank by one grade level.

“Also for gross misconduct, C, (m), any misconduct', the committee recommends that Mr Gbenga Windapo also be denied one promotion for having sex with students in his office which the committee considers to be gross misconduct."

SaharaReporters gathered that because Gbenga Windapo was not reported to law enforcement agencies or charged to court despite findings of the committee, he had continued to rape female students in the department.

A source in the department said, "This particular case when he was investigated happened about three years ago.

"The girl who blew the whistle has been miserable because she didn't get justice with how the case went.

"He is still working in the school and has raped another person, this time it is being covered up."