Afeez Baruwa , 42, disowned
part-time lecturer in the Department of Accounting, at the University of Lagos
who was accused of raping an 18-year-old teenager in July, as she sought help
to get admitted into the university has told
the court through his lawyer, Kunle Abimbola, that media houses were reporting
the case wrongly.
The accused
University of Lagos lecturer, Afeez Baruwa, who is
standing trial before a Lagos state magistrate court for allegedly raping an 18 year
old girl has asked for protection from “hostile” media reportage.
“It has come to a case where
we have to seek the ultimate protection of the defendant from the press, he is
still presumed innocent until proven guilty. On the last adjourned date, it was
stated that the defendant was ill. The next day, Punch went to town with the
headline ‘UNILAG lecturer stays in prison, shuns court.
“On the 15th of August, 2015,
Saturday Punch published the story ‘UNILAG lecturer: Asthma saved me from being
raped, says another victim. On the 22nd of August, 2015, Saturday Punch carried
an interview with the Dean at the faculty where the defendant worked and he
called the defendant a rapist.
“The defendant is being tried
and convicted in the media which runs against Section 36(5) of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It still remains an
allegation, the defendant is still presumed guilty,” Mr. Abimbola was quoted by Premium Times.
On his part, magistrate
Tajudeen Elias said the case is an “exceptional circumstance” and told media to
report the proceedings accurately.
“It is incumbent for the
press to report accurately as unnecessary comments will amount to
subjudice,” he said as he
adjourned the case till November 13.
The head
of the Information Unit of the university, Olagoke Oke, who spoke with a Punch
reporter said Dr Baruwa is not on the university’s employee list whether
teaching or non-teaching
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