A Senior Lecturer at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Dr. Omowumi Labode Steven, has been discharged and acquitted by an Edo State High Court in Benin City after facing allegations of sexual assault for over three years. Dr. Steven, known as “Dr. Bode Steve Ekundayo,” was accused of sexually assaulting a final-year female student in his office on October 5, 2021.
Following the accusation, the University of Benin’s management placed Dr. Steven on interdiction, pending the outcome of the court case. He was subsequently arrested, charged with sexual assault, and later released on bail under strict conditions. The legal proceedings, which began in 2021, finally concluded with a ruling in his favor on Friday.
Justice Mary Itsueli, who presided over the case, emphasized that the prosecution failed to present substantial evidence against Dr. Steven.
In her judgment, Justice Itsueli noted, “The prosecution case is bereft of evidence, and in a criminal case, the claimant is required to prove his or her case beyond reasonable doubt.”
She highlighted that the evidence provided by the complainant, identified as PW1, did not align with the testimonies of the other five witnesses called by the prosecution.
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The judge also criticized the prosecution for not presenting a critical piece of evidence—a medical report from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). This report, which could have corroborated the complainant’s account, was never submitted during the trial.
In addition to these findings, Justice Itsueli pointed out flaws in the police investigation, stating that it was not thorough before charges were filed against the lecturer. She further explained that the prosecution failed to establish the essential elements of rape, which include proving penetration, sexual intercourse, and lack of consent, all of which needed to be directly connected to the accused.
In her ruling, Justice Itsueli upheld the no-case submission put forward by Dr. Steven’s defense counsel, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo State. “I found no reason to call the defendant to enter the dock for his defense. No-case submission of the defense counsel is hereby upheld,” she declared.