Alleged Sexual Harassment of pregnant woman: Husband wants Prof’s appointment terminated

Dutse—The husband of the pregnant woman, Mrs, Bushira
Isyaku, who was allegedly sexually harassed by Professor
Festus David Kolo of Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria,
Malam Muhammad Isyaku, has asked the university to
terminate the appointment of the don.

A Chief Magistrate Court in Kiyawa Local Government Area
of Jigawa State sentenced Professor Kolo of the Faculty of
Education at Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria to two
months imprisonment last week for knowingly enticing a
married woman who was a student in his department
contrary to Section 389 of the penal code law.
Principal State Counsel, Mustapha Adamu, who read the
First Information Report, said that on May 21, one
Muhammad Ghali of Takur Quarters Dutse “reported you,
Prof. Festus David Kolo of ABU, knowing fully well that Mrs
Bushra Ghali Muhammed is his wife, and you have been
making advances towards her, inciting her, calling her
often, sending her love SMS messages using your phone…”

Adamu further said: “You, Prof. Kolo, was caught red
handed by the police at Dan Musa Guest House, Room
109 with Ghali’s wife after he reported the case to the
police and after several warnings and pleas by the
husband.’’

Malam Isyaku who spoke in an interview with Vanguard
yesterday said that the two-month imprisonment for the
66- year professor was too mild.

He argued that since the court had found him guilty of
committing the offence and sentenced him, he should
face dismissal from the university because of the integrity
of the institution.

Isyaku who is a lecturer with the Jigawa State Polytechnic,
stressed that dismissing Prof Kolo from the services of
ABU would serve as a deterrent to others who had formed
the habit of seeking to have a canal knowledge of their
females students.

’Though the two months sentence given to the convict by
the Kiyawa Chief Magistrate Court was less severe, but at
least it has sent a signal to lecturers who involve
themselves in such dirty behaviour that no body is above
the law,” he said.

He further said that he spoke with the Prof Kolo severally
on the telephone and even begged him to stop calling his
wife’s phone, but the he persisted and even visited his wife
in Dutse, Jigawa state where he was eventually
apprehended by security operatives

’’I asked professor Kolo if he knew that Bushira is a
married woman, he said yes, and I told him to please keep
off from her. He apologised but kept on calling my wife
who reported the matter to their class representative who
advised her to switch off her telephone,’’ he added.

He told Vanguard that his wife got admission in ABU Zaria
to do her Masters in Guidance and Counselling, adding
that his first encounter with his wife was when the convict
gave them attendance register to write their names and
telephone numbers for identification.

According to Isyaku, soon after his wife signed and went
for prayers, Prof Kolo started calling her repeatedly. ‘’She
saw five missed calls from Kolo when she came back from
prayers. Kolo persisted calling her number despite several
warnings.’’

The accused pleaded guilty to the charge. His lawyers M.A.
Gausu and R.A. Nwande told the court that the accused
wass above 60 years and the bread winner of his family
and therefore begged the court to temper justice with
mercy.

In his ruling, Senior Magistrate Muhammed Musa
Kaugama said that although the convict was a first
offender, “this court hereby sentences the convict to two
months imprisonment without option of fine,’’ to serve as
deterrent to others.