Sunyani Technical University demands apology from former SRC president over sex-for-grades claims

After more than two months of investigations into the recently alleged sex-for-grades claim by a former SRC President of the University, Mr. Owusu Agyekum, Management of Sunyani Technical University (STU) says not a speck of evidence or proof could be found to back the allegations.

This was after a seven-member committee set up by management presented its report last week.

In a press release signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Ing. Professor Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, management said neither Mr. Owusu Agyekum nor any other person could support their allegations with any concrete evidence, “hence our conclusion that Mr. Owusu Agyekum has no basis for his allegations.”

Apologize & retract
Management, according to the press release, is therefore demanding that the former SRC president should, in his own interest, retract his allegations and apologize to students and staff of the institution for soiling their reputation.

“The University Management is also using this opportunity to advise Mr Owusu Agyekum that since he has failed to provide any concrete evidence to back his claims, he should humbly retract the wild allegations he made against the Sunyani Technical University (STU) that has tarnished its hard-won reputation and apologize unreservedly to the Management, Staff, Students and Alumni of the University through the same media handles he made his earlier publications”, the release said.

Background
It would be recalled that on February 14, 2024, Management STU issued a press release announcing the establishment of a committee to investigate the alleged sex-for-grades claim by a former student of the University, Mr. Owusu Agyekum. Mr. Agyekum had on Sunday, February 11, 2024, posted a video on his TikTok social media handle, alleging multiple “Sex-for-grades” incidents in the University.

The University Management, in line with its zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual harassment or misconduct, swiftly constituted a Seven-Member Committee chaired by the Bono Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr. Peter Duayah, to investigate the issue and make recommendations for the necessary actions to be taken.

Committee sittings
According to the press release, the committee adopted an interactive approach in gathering evidence and met the complainant via Zoom, as he could not be physically present due to his busy work schedule in the United Kingdom (UK) Army.

“During the maiden meeting with the complainant, he gave high assurance of getting pieces of evidence including videos, audios and alleged victims of the sex-for-grades scandal to support his assertions to the committee”, it further said.

The release said the committee had to end its investigations into the matter since no evidence of any kind was provided by Mr. Owusu Agyekum; be it the supposed videos, audios or anything from any of his alleged victims to the committee.

“Rather, in the Committee's continuous efforts to obtain the said pieces of evidence from the complainant, he ceased responding to all phone calls and WhatsApp messages sent to him by the committee’s Chairman. Some of his alleged victims of the sex-for-grades scandal whose contact numbers were given by him to the Committee, when contacted, were not prepared to give any evidence, in that regard, for consideration by the Committee.”

Transparency
According to the press release, the full report of the Committee has been published on the University’s website to enable interested persons to access it while copies have also been submitted to the Minister of Education through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

The release also said the Committee has not been dissolved even though it has submitted its report, adding that: “We still want to give the opportunity to as many people as possible who have concrete evidence about any form of sexual harassment perpetrated against them to make the evidence available to the committee for the necessary action to be taken.”

“The Committee’s Hotline 0538188917 is hereby made public for ‘victims’ of any form of sexual harassment by any STU staff to call and provide the evidence for consideration by the Committee.”

Please find below the full text of the Press Release issued by management of Sunyani Technical University on the alleged sex-for-grades issue.

PRESS RELEASE
Sunyani, Thursday April 25, 2024
The Management of Sunyani Technical University (STU) wishes to state unequivocally that after thorough investigations into the recently alleged sex-for-grades claim by a former SRC President of the University, Mr. Owusu Agyekum, not a speck of evidence or proof could be found to back his allegations.

After more than two months of investigations into the matter, neither Mr. Owusu Agyekum nor any other person could substantiate the allegations with any concrete evidence, hence Management of the University has concluded that Mr. Owusu Agyekum has no basis for his allegations.

It would be recalled that on February 14, 2024, Management of STU issued a Press Release announcing the establishment of a committee to investigate the alleged sex-for-grades claim by a former SRC President of the University, Mr. Owusu Agyekum. Mr. Agyekum had on Sunday February 11, 2024, posted a video on his TikTok social media handle, alleging multiple “Sex-for-grades” incidents in the University.

The University Management, in line with its zero-tolerance policy on all forms of sexual harassment or misconduct, swiftly constituted a Seven-Member Committee chaired by the Bono Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr. Peter Duayah, to investigate the issue and make recommendations for the necessary actions to be taken.

Committee sittings
The committee adopted an interactive approach in gathering evidence and met the complainant via Zoom, as he could not be physically present due to his busy work schedule in the United Kingdom (UK) Army.

During the maiden meeting with the complainant, he gave high assurance of getting pieces of evidence including videos, audios and alleged victims of the sex-for-grades scandal to support his assertions to the committee.

However, the committee had to draw the curtain on its investigations since no evidence of any kind was provided by Mr. Owusu Agyekum; be it the supposed videos, audios nor anything from any of his alleged victims to the committee.

Rather, in the Committee's continuous efforts to obtain the said pieces of evidence from the complainant, he ceased responding to all phone calls and WhatsApp messages sent to him by the committee’s Chairman. Some of his alleged victims of the sex-for-grades scandal whose contact numbers were given by him to the Committee, when contacted, were not prepared to give any evidence, in that regard, for consideration by the Committee.

Transparency
As a public institution that believes in transparency and accountability, the full report of the Committee has been published on the University’s website to enable interested persons to access it, and copies have also been submitted to the Minister for Education through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

It must also be stated that the Committee has not been dissolved even though it has submitted its report. We still want to give the opportunity to as many people as possible who have concrete evidence about any form of sexual harassment perpetrated against them to make the evidence available to the committee for the necessary action to be taken.

The Committee’s Hotline 0538188917 is hereby made public for ‘victims’ of any form of sexual harassment by any STU staff to call and provide the evidence for consideration by the Committee.

Retraction of allegations
The University Management is also using this opportunity to advise Mr Owusu Agyekum that since he has failed to provide any concrete evidence to back his claims, he should humbly retract the wild allegations he made against the Sunyani Technical University (STU) that has tarnished its hard-won reputation and apologize unreservedly to the Management, Staff, Students and Alumni of the University through the same media handles he made his earlier publications.

Thank you.
SIGNED
Ing. Prof Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah
Vice-Chancellor
Media Contact

1. Mr. Peter Duayah, Bono Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare (Committee Chairman) – Contact Number: 0244593017.