Ogun State Government has suspended the Commissioner for Environment, Abiodun Abudu-Balogun, pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into an allegation of sexual harassment of a 16-year old girl, Barakat Mayowa Melojuekun.
The State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) has taken over the investigation of the sexual harassment allegation against the commissioner.
Investigation into the case was first started by the Area Commander for Ogbere Police Area Command less than 24 hours after a sexual harassment video went viral at the weekend, but the case has been transferred to the SCIID on the instruction of Police Commissioner Edward Ajogun for thorough handling.
A teenager, who identified herself as Melojuekun Barakat Mayowa, had in a viral video alleged that Abudu- Balogun sexually harassed her when she visited him while looking for job.
In the video, the girl claimed that the former federal lawmaker fondled her breasts, but Abudu-Balogun had refuted the allegations, saying “it was a pure political blackmail” concocted by his political “adversaries.”
Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP), told The Nation that SCIID would take over the investigation tomorrow (today) from Ogbere Police Area Command for a thorough investigation, stressing that the outcome would be made known to the public at the appropriate time.
In a statement in Abeokuta yesterday, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, said the suspension was to enable the commissioner cooperate with the independent investigation being carried out by the police.
