IJEBU ODE, OGUN STATE – The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Balogun Olaniran, a lecturer at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), on charges of demanding sexual and monetary gratification from a female student.
A statement by ICPC spokesperson Azuka Ogugua on Friday, March 31, 2023, revealed that the defendant was brought Hon. Justice Osinuga of the Ijebu-Ode High Court before, sitting in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on Monday, March 27, 2023.
Dr. Olaniran, who was the Head of the Department of Religious Studies at TASUED, is accused of violating Section 8(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The ICPC alleges that between October and November 2021, Dr. Olaniran demanded sexual favours or a payment of N100,000 from a female student in exchange for altering her academic grades.
The charge against Dr. Olaniran states that he “corruptly demanded sexual benefit or payment of the sum of N100,000 for himself from (name withheld), a female student, on account of a favour to be afterwards shown her in the discharge of his official duties as a lecturer and Head of Department of Religious Studies at the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu Ode, to wit, offering to alter her academic grades from fail to pass in courses with codes EDU 311 and EDU 312.”
Dr. Olaniran pleaded not guilty to the charge. Justice Osinuga granted him bail of N500,000 with a surety in like sum, requiring the surety to provide evidence of three years of tax clearance and evidence of means. The trial is set to commence on May 11, 2023.
Tai Solarin University of Education previously suspended Dr. Olaniran Balogun, who was declared wanted by the ICPC on August 28, 2022. Gbenga Omilola, deputy registrar for Media and Corporate Relations, issued a statement on August 28, announcing that the university management had relieved Dr. Balogun of his position and placed him on interdiction until he cleared himself of all allegations of misconduct brought against him by the anti-graft agency.
