Court acquits Rivers State University lecturer of sexual assault charges filed against him by female student

A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Monday, September 25, discharged and acquitted a lecturer of the Rivers State University, Professor David Ogbonna, of charges of unlawful and indecent sexual assault against a female student.

On June 28, 2022, the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port Harcourt, had arraigned Professor David Ogbonna on one count charge of unlawful and indecent assault against a twenty-one-year female student of the institution.

Delivering judgment in the case on Monday, the court, which was presided over by Chief Magistrate Poromon Menenen, discharged and acquitted Professor Ogbonna accused of unlawful and indecent assault on a female student by inserting his penis in her vagina in his office on the University campus. The court ruled that the prosecution team has not been able to prove its case.

In his judgement, the Chief Magistrate held that the phone the female student claimed she used to record Professor Ogbonna’s discussion with her on the day of the alleged incident was never tendered as an exhibit during the trial. It also stated that the disc the female student claimed she transferred the recording to, was not also tendered during the trial.

The Magistrate stated that the underwear the female student claimed had a semen stain after she was allegedly unlawfully assaulted was not subjected to a forensic examination. The prosecution team failed to call the Health Worker who conducted a medical examination on the female student to come and testify. 

Magistrate Menenen said the prosecution team also failed to provide Chidinma to testify about who the female student claimed left her and the Professor in the lecturer’s office after both came to his office. 

He maintained that there was no substantial evidence to prove the case of unlawful and indecent assault against Professor David Ogbonna and subsequently discharged and acquitted him.