Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has heard how Samuel Obinna Ojogbo, a 53-year-old lecturer at the University of Lagos, allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old student in his office.
The student gave the testimony on Wednesday as the first prosecution witness in the two-count rape and sexual assault trial of the lecturer by the Lagos State Government.
Led in evidence-in-chief by the prosecution counsel, A.O. Azeez, the witness said the incident occurred on August 22, 2025, at about 12:00 noon at the university’s main campus in Akoka.
She disclosed that the defendant invited her to his office a day before the incident.
She said, “Prior to the 22nd of August, 2025, on the 21st of August, I was writing an exam not related to banking.
“I was seated in the first row, the first seat. The defendant came inside at the first row while I was writing my exam and asked, ‘Hope it is what you read that came out?’ I said yes, that I knew a particular section more than the other section.
“He then told me not to worry and that I should come and see him in his office after my exam,” she said.
The student said she went to the lecturer’s office twice after the exam but did not meet him there.
“The second day, being 22nd August, I had another exam slated from 9:00am to 12:00pm, but the defendant was the one taking us,” she disclosed.
The witness said she ran into the lecturer near her faculty after she completed another exam.
“I was going to my hostel when I saw him. He signalled to me that I should wait, and I waited because he was talking to somebody.
“We then went to his office together,” she said.
She described the office as being “underground”, with no “window” or “secretary”.
The witness said that while they were in the lecturer’s office, two female students came around about an exam they missed but the lecturer sent them away.
Now tearful, the witness said, “On their way out, they didn’t close the door well. He told me to close the door. As I went to close it, he stood behind me and pushed me to the couch beside the door.
“He started caressing me, touched my breasts, and then forced himself on me. He raped me.”
The witness said that after the act, the lecturer promise to assist her academically.
“He said he would make sure he supervises my project in Year Four. He collected my exam docket, made a copy, gave me one, and collected my phone number,” she told the court.
The witness said she was in tears while exiting the office, told her friend about the incident and reported it immediately after.
She said she first reported to a lecturer in her department, who contacted her uncle, also a lecturer, before they approached the head of the department.
“We then went to a lecturer in my department, Dr Abu; he called my uncle, who is also a lecturer in the department. Then we went to the HOD office. When we got to the HOD office, he asked if what I was saying was true; he said, ‘Where is the evidence, and why don’t I record with my phone?’
“Then he called the defendant to his office. When the defendant came, he said nothing of such a thing having happened and that I was just lying against him.
“The HOD said that my uncle and I should just let it go, and said next time I should be more careful with lecturers alone. Then we left his office.
“My uncle said we can’t just let it go like that. We went to Servicom at school. When I got to Servicom, a woman and I went to the medical centre for tests. Then, after that, they prescribed drugs.”
She further testified that she reported the case to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, after which she was referred to the police.
“I was referred to Bariga Police Station and later to WARIF for another test,” she said.
She added that the case was subsequently transferred to the Gender Unit of the police command for investigation.
She added, “After all these, the defendant’s family and friends started calling for a meeting.”
Justice Ogala adjourned the matter till April 27, 2026, for cross-examination of the witness.
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