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The Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology has extended by three months, the suspension of its Head of Department, Dental Surgery, Princewill Chicakpobi for alleged sexual harassment against a student.

The College Provost, Prof Franklin Nlerum, who disclosed this Monday, said the suspension with effect from 5 August was based on the report of a panel of inquiry that indicted the lecturer for sexual harassment.

The school had earlier suspended Chikakpobi after mother of a female student had on 16 April raised alarm over alleged rape of her daughter by the said lecturer of the school.

Nlerum stated, “Based on the report of the Panel, a case of Sexual Harassment was established against one of the female students in the College.

“The College decided to extend the suspension order against Chikakpobi by another three months. Within this period also his appointment as Head of Department (HOD), Dental Health has been suspended.

He has been relieved as HOD of that office and placed on half salary throughout the period of his suspension.

The Provost however dismissed the earlier case of rape alleged by the affected student for lack of insufficient evidence to prove the allegation.

Nlerum explained that, “The student according to the panel was told to bring a report of medical test. She was unable to produce one. Based on that, the committee dismissed the allegation of rape.”

Relatedly, the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, has suspended, for 12 months without pay, Mr. Godwin Olai, a lecturer of the Department of Management effective 8 August, 2021, for attempted extortion on a student.

The Rivers state-owned varsity’s Staff Disciplinary Committee indicted Olai for demanding N70,000 from one of his undergraduate supervisees to write, type, and bind his project on the student’s behalf.