The management of the University of Lagos Women Society Nursery and Primary School, Akoka, Lagos, has suspended a class teacher, Mrs Charity Madumere, over alleged molestation of a four-year-old pupil in her class.
The decision was made known to parents during an emergency meeting of the Parent-Teacher Forum on Saturday.
Recall that the victim was allegedly molested on the school premises by a driver identified as Abiodun Matthew.
Matthew, it was gathered, was picking two pupils at the school after closing hours on the instructions of their parents.
The driver, in the course of time, was said to have become close to the class teacher of the victim.
Madumere reportedly sometimes left the pupils in the care of the driver.
During the period, the suspect was alleged to have molested the kindergarten pupil.
The victim’s father, Ade, said he had noticed the closeness of the suspect to the teacher and complained to the school authorities.
He claimed that his warning was ignored until his daughter became a victim of molestation.
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Matthew, the class teacher, the assistant class teacher and the supervisor were subsequently arrested and detained at the Sabo Police Station.
Punch reports that in a footage of the meeting made available to the paper, the management of the school said there was no attempt to cover up the case, adding that the class teacher had been suspended pending the conclusion of investigation.
It quoted a source in the school as saying the teacher was due to retire in July 2019.
“The school never tried to cover up the case; it was the school that reported the case to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and everything we were asked to do has been done. We did not plead that any of those who were arrested should be released. The school will never support injustice and if we try to cover up, nemesis will catch up with us.
“The class teacher was suspended on Thursday pending the conclusion of investigation. The teacher’s only offence was that she was negligent. Unfortunately for her, she was supposed to retire in July after 19 years of service. We did not go to the victim’s father to beg him; we only went to sympathise with him. We were not trying to cover anything,” the source was quoted as saying.
The paper also quoted the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, as saying investigation was still ongoing and that the case would be charged to court at the end of investigation.
“Four suspects, who were arrested, are still with the Gender Unit of the command. Investigation is still ongoing and we will charge them to court as soon as we conclude our investigation. We are doing our best on the matter to arrive at the truth without any sentiment,” he stated.
PUNCH
