The University of Ghana says that there was no firm evidence to trap two of its lecturers who were exposed on BBC Africa documentary for sexual harrassment.
The University of Ghana says there was no concrete evidence to prove its lecturers, who were caught on camera, sexually harassing female students in the BBC ”Sex for Grades” documentary actually slept with the female student to give her better grades.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that two Ghanaian academicians, a Political Science lecturer, Prof. Ransford Gyampo and a lecturer at the College of Education, Dr. Paul Kwame Bukator, were indicted in the ‘Sex for Grades’ documentation filmed by BBC Reporter, Kiki mordi.
Speaking on the documentary, the Chairperson of the anti-sexual harassment committee of the University of Ghana (UG), Dr Margaret Amoakohene, had an interview with Citi News, a Ghanaian-based media outfit, where she stated that she watched the documentary and could not find a concrete evidence to backup claims of sexual harrassment or exploitation.
According to her “If you look at the transcript that they added, there is no evidence of sex for grade. I agree that the lecturers misbehaved and so you will discuss these as unacceptable behaviors that should be investigated but there was no indication of sex for grades.
While adding that “in one case, it was about the national service placement. Who needs grades at national service? She completed and she was looking for placement.
“In the other case according to the transcript, the lady approached him [Prof. Gyampo] and said she wanted him to be a mentor. She actually confirmed she wasn’t his student but asked that he mentors her.
“So where is the grade involved in this? You are able to discuss grades and sex when you find a lecturer who is dating his own students, and either unnecessarily giving them grades that they don’t deserve or marking them down because they have refused your advances. But in the two cases that are cited, I don’t see sex for grades”
Dr Margaret Amoakohene further disclosed that in the documentary, Professor Gyambo was filmed pestering a female student to kiss him as well as become his girlfriend. The journalist who posed as a student, had asked him to become her mentor. He accepted her request but asked her for more than she bargained.
The University says the documentary did not provide any evidence to prove that the students were awarded marks by the lecturers.