Prof. Anthony Anwukah, the Minister of State for Education, has said the investigative panel set up to look into alleged sexual molestation on a female student of Queens College, Ikeja, Lagos, could not establish any evidence to indict the accused teacher, adding that the mother of the victim failed to appear before the committee to prove her case.
Olaseni Oshifala, a Biology teacher, was purportedly accused by a parent, Chinenye Okoye, of forcefully trying to kiss and touch the private parts of her daughter, a JSS 2 pupil. Anwukah had on March 22, set up a committee to investigate the alleged sexual molestation.
Anwukah said: “The Investigation Committee did not establish any credible evidence against the accused teacher, considering the fact that Mrs Chinenye Okoye remained unidentified, faceless and inaccessible despite the Committee’s best efforts and assurances to protect her identity and that of her daughter.
Consequently, the Investigation Committee finds it difficult to recommend disciplinary action against the accused teacher as the complainant failed to come forward to prove this weighty accusation. The Committee could not establish any cover up of sexual molestation by the management of Queens College.
The Federal Ministry of Education notes and accepts all the recommendations of the Committee and will take actions as appropriate,’’ he said. The minister asked anyone with information that could lead to the identification of the alleged victim or her mother or with any credible and substantiated evidence to approach the ministry.
