‘I was told what to do:’ Former Sask. school director says he was instructed to hit students

WATCH: The former director of a private Christian school in Saskatoon has been handed a 23-month jail sentence to be served in the community.

Speaking to reporters for the first time, the former director of a Saskatoon private Christian school explained why he hit students with a wooden paddle.

John Olubobokun, 65, worked as the director of Christian Centre Academy from 2003-2009.

Olubobokun pleaded guilty to five counts of assault with a weapon. He admitted to paddling teen girls on the school’s volleyball team in October 2003.

“I accept responsibility for my actions, but I didn’t make the rules. I was told what to do,” Olubobokun told journalists outside Saskatoon Provincial Court.

He said he received a 200-page manual on “child training.”

Olubobokun said his boss, Keith Johnson, instructed him to paddle the teens.

“Hindsight is 20/20,” he said.

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Olubobokun is currently serving an 18-month sentence for a separate set of assault convictions. His new sentence will run at the same time as the existing one, plus five months.

“These young women were forced into a humiliating posture by a male authority figure, literally treated like children in the course of being assaulted,” Judge Doug Agnew said during sentencing.

Agnew noted the “significant” force used and said the spacing of the blows may have been “deliberately calculated to maximize anticipation of mental anguish.”

Former student Caitlin Erickson said she’s “happy to have the courts acknowledge that this was wrong, and it was a criminal act.”

Judge addresses Olubobokun’s letters of support

The judge commented on Olubobokun’s letters of support. Agnew said some of the letters expressed disbelief that Olubobokun could commit the assaults.

“He admits he had done it,” Agnew said.

“If the writers of the letters really believe that he is incapable of committing these offences, then it is clear that they do not know him as well as they think they do — which suggests some flaw in their assessment of his character that they have expressed in the support letters.”

Olubobokun apologizes

Before receiving his sentence, Olubobokun apologized.

“I am deeply, deeply sorry to see the impact of my actions on the complainants in court,” Olubobokun told the judge.

“I can only pray that God will grant us forgiveness, healing and restoration.”

But Erickson said she did not believe the apology was sincere.

“Just knowing this individual for many years, I did not feel that was an honest apology,” Erickson said.

Plans for an appeal

Olubobokun’s lawyer, Ron Piché, said he plans to appeal Judge Lisa Watson’s Nov. 20 decision.

“It’s our belief that an appeal is warranted — largely because the evidence of the complainants was not met with the same scrutiny that John’s evidence was,” Piché said.

He added that Olubobokun’s sentence from Agnew “may be overly harsh, so we’re reviewing that as well.”

The defence has 30 days to file a notice of appeal.