LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- A Chief Magistrate Court in Rivers State, has discharged and acquitted a lecturer of the State University, Professor David Ogbonna, of charges of unlawful and indecent sexual assault against a female student.
Recall that on 28 June, 2022, the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port Harcourt, had arraigned Professor Ogbonna on one-count charge of unlawful and indecent assault against a twenty-one-year female student of the institution.
Delivering judgment in the case on Monday, the court sitting, presided over by Chief Magistrate Poromon Menenen, acquainted Professor Ogbonna, alleged of assault on the student by inserting his penis in her vagina in his office on the University campus.
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The court held that the prosecution team failed to prove their case.
In his judgement, the Magistrate held that the phone the female student claimed she used to record Professor Ogbonna’s discussion with her on the day of the alleged incident was never tendered as an exhibit during the trial.
The Magistrate also stated that the underwear the female student claimed had a semen stain after she was allegedly unlawfully assaulted was not subjected to a forensic examination.
According to the Magistrate, the prosecution team failed to call the Health Worker who conducted a medical examination on the female student to come and testify.
He maintained that there was no substantial evidence to prove the case of unlawful and indecent assault against Professor Ogbonna and subsequently discharged and acquitted him.