Funke Busari, Lagos
A-62-year-old man, Mr. Emmanuel Madueke has been arrested in Lagos for alledged sexual harassment of his pupil.
He is a school proprietor called out by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, an agency committed to fighting sexual and gender-based violence in Lagos State.
He was said to have kissed a girl (names withheld) who attends a private school, Megland Comprehensive School.
The female student alledged that her school proprietor kissed her during the Children’s Day celebration held in May.
She said her proprietor advanced towards her and kissed her lips.
But the suspect claimed that his action was only an innocent gesture on her cheek.
Speaking on the matter, the Coordinator of the Lagos DSVRT, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the act contravenes the Child’s Rights Law 2015 as well as the Criminal Law of Lagos State, particularly, Sections 135, (Indecent treatment of a child) as well as 263, Sexual Assault.
She explained that a team comprising officers of Office of Education Quality, Assurance, Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the DSVRT visited the school, based on the State Government’s Executive Order on Safeguarding and Child Protection Programme, 2016 and arrested the suspect.
According to DSVRT Coordinator, further investigations revealed that the affected child may not be the only student to have fallen victim of sexual harassment in the hands of the alleged perpetrator.
It was further alleged that Madueke tactically grooms the female students who become acquainted with him promising educational advancement as a reward.
As soon as some information got to the DSVRT, its team reported the case to Ilasan Police Division and the Gender Desk Department of the Lagos State Police Command and immediately commenced investigation into the allegation.
The state government has however, reiterated its commitment in ensuring protection of children from all forms of sexual and gender based violence warning that no form of sexual and gender based violence would be tolerated in the state.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in November 2019 had said he would wield the big stick against perpetrators of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the state during a ‘Walk To Commit and Act’ Rally organised by the State and DSVRT of the Ministry of Justice.
