The BBC Africa Eye team has detailed its evidence in the recently released ‘Sex for Grades’ investigative documentary that shows that Professor Ransford Gyampo broke the University of Ghana’s rules on sexual misconduct.
The team told GhanaWeb on Wednesday in a Q&A that Prof Gymapo was in clear violation of the rules when he “engaged in inappropriate amorous behaviour with our undercover reporter, Abigail, who he knew as a student at the university seeking mentorship from him, and that he attempted to exploit an academic relationship with her.”
It refuted Prof Gyampo’s vehement denial of sexually harassing the undercover reporter or any student. “He told us he treats all students with respect, care and genuine affection. He claims he was entrapped – which the BBC strongly refutes,” the team told GhanaWeb.
The BBC detailed the evidence in the film as follows:
a. One Sunday afternoon, following their academic meetings, Professor Gyampo, called Abigail and teased and accused her of always being formal around him saying “formal formal, formal formal. You want to talk about work work, nothing else.” During the call he asked her if she had a boyfriend and repeatedly requested to visit her in her rented accommodation off campus. She reminded him she was a student and said she was not really interested in a relationship. Professor Gyampo told her she should prepare her mind because he would be coming very soon. Eventually he was persuaded by Abigail to meet in a safer public place, a mall instead of her home, later that evening.
b. While at the shopping mall, Prof Gyampo made numerous lewd and sexually inappropriate comments towards Abigail, despite his interactions with her as a University of Ghana student. These include, but are not limited to:
– Repeatedly asking her whether she had “ever been kissed violently before.”
– Repeatedly telling her to stop pushing herself away from him and insinuating she would become his “wedded wife.”
– Telling her she should grow a bit fat for him so that if he were to hold her it wouldn’t appear as if he had hurt her.
– Telling her he would “grab” her and kiss her to remove all her “shyness.”
– Making remarks about female students liking “penis” at the secondary school she attended.
– Repeatedly leering at her in an intimidating fashion.
– Telling her not to follow young men as they will be “fidgeting with” her breasts and be “pressing, pressing, and squeezing, squeezing” her breasts.
– He repeatedly asked Abigail to be his girlfriend until marriage, despite her telling him she was not interested in a relationship.
– Professor Gyampo repeatedly asked she hug him at the end of the meeting. She did not. Later, on the phone, he said it was ok if she didn’t want to be his girlfriend but that she should continue to be mentored by him.
The University of Ghana has commenced its investigations and the two lecturers including Dr Paul Kwame Butakor will be facing its Anti-Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Committee. They have both been interdicted.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
