An Oredo Chief Magistrate’s Court in Benin City has sentenced Paul Okugbowa, proprietor of Calvary Crown Academy, and three teachers to varying prison terms for negligence and verbally abusing a parent.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, December 5, Magistrate Caroline Oghuma sentenced Okugbowa to six months imprisonment, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine, after finding him guilty of publicly calling a student’s mother a prostitute. The incident reportedly occurred in the presence of the parent, her husband, and others.
Okugbowa, who was also a candidate in the 2024 Edo governorship election under the Young Progressive Party, faced the court over the September 8, 2023, confrontation at the AIG Zone 5 headquarters in Benin City.
Three teachers—Blessing Osarodion, Egharevba Esosa, and Isioma Nimen—were also convicted for their negligence and abandonment of students.
Osarodion and Esosa were sentenced to one year in prison each, with an option of a ₦100,000 fine, for their roles in the injury of a six-year-old pupil, Salma Aigbudu.
Nimen received a three-month sentence or a ₦50,000 fine for unlawfully abandoning another pupil, Zuri Aigbudu.
The negligence charges stemmed from a September 29, 2021, incident when Salma Aigbudu sustained a facial injury during school hours. The court found that the teachers on duty failed to provide first aid or adequate supervision.
Prosecutor Austin Enababor highlighted that Okugbowa’s derogatory remarks and the teachers’ negligence breached multiple provisions of the Edo Criminal Laws of 2022, including Sections 167(2), 412, 270, and 267.
The verdict has sparked discussions on the accountability of educational institutions in ensuring the safety and dignity of students and their families.
