Phillip Ebong
| credits: File copy
| credits: File copy
A
24-year-old teacher, Phillip Ebong, was arrested on Wednesday by the
Gowon Estate Police Division, Akowonjo, Lagos, for allegedly victimising
a 14-year-old pupil (name withheld) and banning her from attending his
classes.
Ebong, who teaches Physics and Chemistry
at the Dee Jewels International College, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, was
arrested during school hours after a complaint was lodged at the police
station by Spaces for Change, a non-governmental organisation on youth
development, on behalf of the pupil and her guardian, Mrs. Theresa
Amaechi.
A copy of the petition made available to PUNCH Metro revealed that Ebong began harassing the victim from the first day of her enrolment in the school in January 2013.
The petition read, “On repeated
occasions, Ebong invited the victim to the staff room informing her of
his desire to have an intimate relationship with her. Consequently, the
victim became a regular visitor to the staff room during break periods.
“On such visits, he made sexual advances
to her which often involved kissing and hugging. Several times, Ebong
followed her home, waiting at the gate to avoid being seen by her
guardian.”
The petition alleged that under much
pressure from Ebong, the victim eventually invited the teacher to her
guardians’ home while they were away.
Ebong was alleged to have cajoled her to expose her private part, after fondling her breasts and kissing her.
It was said the harassment became too
persistent, that the victim allegedly earned the title, “Uncle Phillip’s
wife,” among her classmates and friends.
Amaechi told PUNCH Metro, “The
victim is a timid girl. I did not know the extent of the harassment she
was facing until she opened up to me last Friday. Earlier, she had told
me Ebong was asking her for a relationship and I told her to reject his
advances. I thought it would stop at that.
“I was shocked when she told me last
week that she was no longer interested in staying in the science class;
she wanted to switch to the arts and when I asked why, she said it was
because Ebong had banned her from his classes.
“Apparently, she had told him that I was
aware that he had asked her for a sexual relationship. The revelation
angered him. He even went as far as threatening that she would fail her
examinations,”
As of the time of Ebong’s arrest, the
school principal was said to be busy as the SSS III students were taken
the WAEC examination.
She said, “We don’t condone such acts here. Had we been informed on time, we would have taken appropriate action.”
When confronted, Ebong allegedly denied the accusation. He blamed the entire situation on his interest in his students’ success.
He said, “I am close to all my students;
that is what I was taught in the College of Education that a teacher
had to be friendly. I just took an interest in the victim because I
noticed she was not taking her homework seriously. All this talk of my
touching and kissing her, they are all lies. I admit going to her house
but it was because I wanted to see her guardian.”
Executive Director of Spaces for Change,
Mrs. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said Amaechi came to her with the case on
the same day her ward confided in her.
She said, “We are prepared to seek legal
redress in the court should the school and police fail to investigate
this matter and exercise full disciplinary action against Ebong.
“Our investigation has also shown that there are other students currently being abused by this same Ebong.
“These acts of misconduct are not only
indicative of poor supervision and negligence on the part of the school
authorities, but also amount to continuing breeches of the victim’s
fundamental human rights.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, when contacted, said, “I will let you know
when I have the full details.”
culled from www.punchng.com
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