FORMER, Professor of Management Accounting at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Richard Akindele, has been released from prison after serving a two-year jail term/
Akindele was sentenced to two years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to to a four-count charge filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the Federal high court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state.
He was found guilty of soliciting for sex in order to award grades to a female student, Monica Osagie.
According to a report, the ex-lecturer, was released from prison custody on March 19 and is currently with his family.
Maureen Onyetenu, presiding judge sentenced him to a 24-month jail-term for asking Monica for a sexual benefit and handed him another 24 months jail-term for soliciting from the victim, a sexual benefit to pass her.
He was also sentenced to a 12-month jail-term for deleting parts of the WhatsApp conversation between him and Monica to conceal evidence against him and sentenced him to another 12 months jail-term for falsification of age.
The judge had stated that the six-year jail terms would run concurrently without breaks however, his appeal against his conviction is scheduled for hearing at the Court of Appeal, Akure, on May 19.
Before his incarceration, Akindele was a clergyman at the Anglican Diocese of Ife, and also a member of the church marriage.
He had in a viral audio demanded five rounds of sex from Monica to award her a pass mark in a course she failed which he initially denied before his eventual conviction in court beyond a reasonable doubt.
Amos Abba is a journalist with the International Center for Investigative Reporting, ICIR, who believes that courageous investigative reporting is the key to social justice and accountability in the society.