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+--- Thread: Senate Lay Down 5- Year Jail Term And 5million Naira Fine for Sexual Harassment (/showthread.php?tid=641)
Senate Lay Down 5- Year Jail Term And 5million Naira Fine for Sexual Harassment - Mhiz Rebecca - 10-28-2016
The Senate in Nigeria has adopted a five-year jail
term and five million Naira fine as penalties for
Sexual Harassment.
Lawmakers reached the decision while deliberating
on the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human
Rights and Legal Matters on the Sexual Harassment
in Tertiary Education Institution Bill.
The bill also recommends expulsion or suspension
for students whose claims of being sexually
harassed by lecturers or educators are found to be
false after investigations in court.
Addressing the Senate on Thursday before the
decision was reached, Senator David Umaru,
decried what he called rampant sexual harassment
in Nigeria’s institution, saying it affects students
psychologically.
Senator Umaru says the bill is appropriate and has
elicited wide support from Senators, Stakeholders
and Nigerians as a whole.
After his presentation the Senate moved to the
committee of the whole for clause by clause
consideration of the Report on Sexual Harassment.
During the consideration of the bill, Senator
Eyinnanya Abaribe suggested that the title of the
Sexual Harassment Bill be amended and not be
limited to Tertiary Institutions alone.
But Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, did not support the
call for title amendment, said that title was in
order.
“Extant laws caters for harassment in elementary
schools since they are under 18,” he highlighted.
For Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, five years jail
punishment was not enough, as he proposed a
seven-year jail term and 10 million Naira fine as
punishment for sexual harassment.
Another Senator, Ali Ndume, had suggested that
the penalty should be increased to seven years in
jail, stressing that the the amount was only an
attempt to stop harassment.
On his part, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce said: “Rape
is the number one crime in Lagos. Harassment is a
serious issue. It leads to rape. I propose 10 years”.
After deliberations, the Sexual Harassment in
Tertiary Education Institution Bill, 2016 passed for
Third Reading, with the Deputy Senate President,
Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary,
giving his final words.
“I want to thank my colleagues and the Committee
members for the milestone achieved on the Sexual
Harassment Bill.
“This Bill will go a long way in protecting our
younger ones from harm and serves as deterrent to
others who indulge in this act.” he told the Senate.