Court frees UNIBEN lecturer from rape allegation

Dr Omowumi Steven, a lecturer with the University of Benin, was in Friday discharged and acquitted of allegedly raping a 400 Level female student of the university by the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, the state capital.

Steven, who is a senior lecturer in the Department of English and Literature, of the university, was alleged to have raped the final-year female student of the department in his office on October 5, 2021.

He was consequently issued a query and placed on interdiction pending the final determination of the case in court by the management of the university.

The lecturer was later arrested and arraigned for sexual assault.

However, ruling on the matter, marked B/CD/8CV/22, on Friday, the High Court in Benin held that there was not enough evidence to prove the charge and went ahead to discharge and acquit the lecturer.

According to Justice Mary Itsueli, the prosecution team failed to prove their case against the accused.

She upheld the no-case submission filed by the defence counsel, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, and affirmed that the evidence of the PW 1 (the nominal complainant) contraficted the evidence of the remaining five prosecution witnesses.

Consequently, the judge said that the prosecution team failed to prove the three main ingredients of rape, comprising penetration, sexual intercourse and no consent.

“The prosecution case is bereft of evidence and in a criminal case, the claimant is required to prove his/her case beyond reasonable doubt,” Itsueli noted.

“I found no reason to call the defendant to enter the dock for his defence. No case submission of the defence counsel is hereby upheld,” Itsueli ruled.

“The case is hereby dismissed for lack of evidence and the accused is discharged and acquitted.”