Kolawole Muyiwa, a former part-time lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (now Lagos State University of Education), is to spend the rest of his life in prison following his conviction for r@pe by a court.
Justice Rahman Oshodi of an Ikeja Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court handed down the sentence to the former lecturer.
The convict committed the offence on October 11, 2021, within the premises of the college in Oto-Ijanikin, Lagos State.
Kolawole was formally arraigned on October 6, 2023, and pleaded not guilty.
Justice Oshodi, however, found him guilty, citing the survivor’s detailed testimony and the defendant’s admission of requesting a relationship with her, which he claimed was platonic.
“Kolawole Muyiwa I have found you guilty of r@pe contrary to section 260 of the criminal law chapter 17 volume laws of Lagos state 2015. I note that you are a first-time offender with no criminal record, and you are married with three children. You also served as a part-time lecturer. However, the gravity of the offense committed cannot be overlooked:
“As a part-time lecturer, you occupied the position of trust and authority which you abused. The victim was a student at the institution where you taught.
“Section 260 of the criminal law describes life imprisonment punishment for your crime, and that is what I shall sentence you to. You shall also be registered as a sex offender.”
Giving testimony during the trial, the victim told the court that on October 11, 2021, she arrived early for a departmental meeting scheduled for 10 am.
The victim further narrated that while she was waiting outside her classroom, the defendant approached and asked her to go get him food.
The victim recounted that she followed the defendant to get a flask for the food purchase, and he led her to the office.
Once inside his office, the defendant reportedly said he no longer wanted food but needed help marking some examination scripts.
She recalled that at some point, the defendant went outside, returned, and locked the passage gate and office door.
She recalled that the defendant asked her if she had a boyfriend and she told him she did not.
“He suddenly pushed me down the plastic chair I was sitting on, overpowered me and forcefully removed my trousers. I was menstruating at the time, and he removed my sanitary pad and had forceful sexual intercourse with me,” she said.
The student said when he was done, the defendant said: “What you refused to give me willingly, I have taken by force.”
In his own account, the defendant told the court that on October 11, 2021, he came to the college to record and submit a script and that he met the survivor on reaching the gate, who offered to help him carry his bag.
He said he asked her if she could help record scores, to which she agreed.
The lecturer further told the court that he asked the survivor for a relationship while inside his office, and she accepted. He explained that the relationship was casual.
“To be together, to talk, relate with one another, but not for a sexual relationship.”
The lecture claimed he did not r@pe the survivor.
His lawyer, Dr G.O. Erenta, told the court to discharge and acquit the defendant as the evidence of the survivor was fictitious and no corroborating evidence was established.
The judge held that the testimonies of the survivor tallied with those of the legal practitioner and the IPO.
