School where virginity test was conducted on Pupil
The
decision of the Ogun State Government on the Principal of Ajuwon Senior
High School, Rev. Olufunke Aladeojobi, who allegedly conducted
virginity tests on pupils of the school, has attracted public outrage.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr.
Segun Odubela, had on Tuesday announced that the government would
conduct a psychiatric examination on Aladejobi, adding that she would be
sacked if she was found not to be of sound mind.
The government, however, said it would demote her from grade level 16 to 15 if the test proved that she was sane.
But lawyers, human rights activists and a
large number of online readers of the story on The website flayed
the state government for meting out “a mild punishment” for a serious
criminal offence. They, however, welcomed its (government) plan to make
Aladeojobi undergo a psychiatric test.
Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Mr.
Bamidele Aturu, who had described Aladeojobi’s action as “bestial” said
demotion was not a sufficient punishment for the magnitude of damage she
had done to the pupils.
Aturu said, “If the outcome of the
psychiatric examination that would be carried out on her shows that she
is sane, then demotion is not a sufficient punishment that should be
meted out to her.
“What the principal has done amounts to
defilement, assault and battery which under the law are criminal
offences. The government should hand her over to the police, while the
attorney-general of the state must ensure that she is prosecuted.”
Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association,
Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Ubani, described the demotion as a “soft
landing”, adding that the government had not taken the “feelings of the
pupils and aggrieved parents” into consideration.
Ubani said, “The government has failed
to take into cognizance the gravity of the offence committed by this
principal in question. In other climes, government would have worked in
collaboration with the parents of the affected pupils and ensure that
justice is done. The Ogun State Government has played God and it is very
unfortunate.”
President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the punishment was “a slap on the wrist”.
“The inability to punish those who
perpetrate heinous crimes like this encourages impunity. I think the
government should have handed her over to the police for prosecution,”
She said.
A reader, Clinton Uzoho, wrote, “A
statutory rape – a felonious crime – was committed by this principal on a
number of her students and the state says a demotion in rank would
assuage the humiliation these children were put through.
“It is unbelievable. The government by
this callous inaction is saying to other principals and criminals that
they should go ahead and perpetrate heineous crimes because nothing will
happen to them.”
A reader who identified himself simply
as Austin wrote, “There is no justice for the kids. This principal
should have been charged with child molestation long time ago. Why can’t
justice prevail in this country?”
Another reader, Remi said, “Is this an
act of gross violation of laid down rules? Or the code of conduct for
the teaching service never envisaged such possibilities? One just
wonders what lesson a demotion from level 16 to 15 was meant to teach.
“If the woman is found to be sane, she
should be dismissed and prosecuted. If insane she should be
rehabilitated with no further punishment. In addition all other
principals of schools should be made to take the ‘Brain Test’, just in
case.”
Meanwhile, sources at the Ogun State
Police Command, told our correspondent on Wednesday, that police
investigation into the incident had been delayed as a result of the work
of the various panels and committees which prevented them from having
access to Aladeojobi.
One of the police sources said,
“Detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran,
Abeokuta, have been unable to carry out their investigation because the
committee set up by the state government asked us to release her to them
so that they can carry out their work. The Command has already written
the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to
re-produce Aladeojobi since they have concluded their enquiry.”
When contacted, the Ogun State Police
Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the matter had not
been swept under the carpet.
He said, “What I can tell you are that
investigation has not been concluded and the case has not been swept
under the carpet as it is being speculated. The Commissioner of Police,
Ikemefuna Okoye, is working in collaboration with the Ogun State
government and the parents of the affected pupils to ensure that justice
prevails.
“The inquiry of the state government as
well as the punishment is totally different from the work the police is
doing in this case. The police will do the needful and we will not
betray the trust the public has in us.”
Aladeojobi was said to have on December 10 invited a nurse to the school to carry out virginity test on a group of 10 pupils.
During the test, it was alleged that
Aladeojobi, the school’s nurse, Mrs. M.B. Makinde, and another nurse
whose name could not be ascertained, dipped their fingers into the
pupils’ private parts
No comments:
Post a Comment