The bill seeking to stop sexual abuse of female students in
the nation’s tertiary institutions was passed on Thursday, by Senate. The bill, christened: ” Sexual Harassment in
Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition Bill, 2016, sponsored by Senator
Ovie Omo -Agege, APC, Delta Central, prescribed a 5-year jail term for
lecturers and educators convicted of sexual harassment of their male or female
students.
The bill also recommended expulsion or suspension for students
whose claims of being sexually abused by lecturers or educators are found to be
false by any competent court.
In the alternative, the bill also proposed a fine of N5
million in the event that the accused person is convicted by a competent court
of law even as it made provisions for lecturers and educators who maybe falsely
accused by their students to seek redress.
In such instances, an accused lecturer or educator who is
acquitted by a court can turn the heat on the student who shall be expelled or
suspended, as the institution where both belong deems fit.
Shortly, after the passage of the bill, its sponsor, Omo
-Agege, while addressing newsmen, expressed satisfaction with the action of the
upper legislative chamber. He explained that the menace of sexual harassment,
especially in the nation’s ivory towers has been there for a long time, regretting
that past administrations had not done enough to check the menace.
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