Court awards N10m damages against varsity, reinstates expelled student after four years

An Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday ordered the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, EKSU, to reinstate a student of the university, Adedotun Babalola, four years after he was expelled for alleged involvement in rape. The court also awarded N10 million damages against the university. The student had dragged the school to court claiming that […]

An Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday ordered the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, EKSU, to reinstate a student of the university, Adedotun Babalola, four years after he was expelled for alleged involvement in rape.

The court also awarded N10 million damages against the university.

The student had dragged the school to court claiming that his right to fair hearing was not respected by the school as he was expelled from the university without being found guilty by any court or tribunal.

He had joined EKSU, Vice Chancellor, the Senate, the Registrar and the Council as respondents in the suit .

Granting all the reliefs of the plaintiff, Justice John Adeyeye agreed that Babalola’s expulsion by EKSU management

constituted a breach of fundamental human rights to fair hearing.

The judge held that EKSU was wrong to have terminated the studentship of the plaintiff without trial and subsequently ordered that the university should allow him to continue his studies without further delay.

Apart from the order to pay the plaintiff N10 million aggravated damages, the judge also ordered the university to write a letter of unreserved apology to be published in three national newspapers.

Babalola and Omoteye Olalekan were earlier arraigned before anothercourt presided over by Justice Ayodeji Daramola for an alleged offence of having unlawful carnal knowledge of one Bosede Olabanji on 6th March, 2013.

Lauding the judgment, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Magnus Ejelonu, observed that the court had addressed the wrong done to Babalola.

But counsel to EKSU, Mr. Ajide Olayemi, said he would consult with the management to know the next step to take.

But Justice Daramola struck out the case “in the interest of justice” because of its shoddy handling by the prosecution and the non-interestof the victim of the alleged offence of rape in the case.

The plaintiff filed a suit for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights following the refusal of the university to reabsorb him after the case of rape against him was struck out.