VC says OAU may involve Police to investigate sex-for-mark scandal

The Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof Eyitope Ogunmodede has said the institution may have to involve the Police to verify the sex-for-mark scandal involving a lecturer, who allegedly demanded sex from a female student to increase her grade.

The University Vice-Chancellor said this while speaking with a Punch correspondent in Oshogbo on Sunday, April 15, 2018.

Since the telephone conversation between a man alleged to be Prof Richard Akindele, who lectures at the Department of Accountancy and the student went viral on Monday, April 9, 2018, the university has not been able to identify the student.

Ogunmodede, however, said the case has not been reported to the Police, but to get to the root of the matter, the university might involve them if the university is unable to identify the two people involved in the viral audio clip.

“We have a committee that is investigating the matter now and we gave them one week to submit their report. If we run into any hitch, we can use all the resources available to get to where we are going. But once things are running smoothly, we may not need to involve the police.

“But we must first identify those involved and where they are; if we have any problem doing that, then that is when the university will invite the police.

“The committee’s one week will elapse by Wednesday. We will brief you about it. I need to state that we have an excellent relationship with the police, the DSS and others.”

ALSO READ: VC reacts to sex-for-mark scandal in OAU

Prof Akindele may not be punished

Meanwhile, the Public Relations officer of the university, Abiodun Olanrewaju recently said Prof Akindele may not be punished if the complainant refuses to show up.

Olanrewaju in an interview with the Sun stated reasons, why Prof Akindele may not be punished for the allegations, levied against him by the student.

The PRO said Obafemi Awolowo University was not mentioned in the viral audio and that for the lecturer to be punished, there must be a complainant.