Vice Chancellor found guilty of financial malfeasance

The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and the Finance Officer (FO), have been found guilty of procurement and other financial malfeasance by the High Court at Winneba.

As a result, Professor Mawutor Avoke, VC and Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Finance Officer have been automatically relieved of their positions at the university.

A cost of Ghc8, 000 has also been awarded against the university.

All payments made to Paa Nii Lamptey of Paa Badu Construction Ltd. – a construction company – by the accused persons must be refunded to the university and a forensic audit conducted on all aspects of the North Campus Road, since according to the court was a create, loot and share affair, disguised as a contract.

Background

A private citizen, Kofi Kwayera, last month sued the University of Education Winneba (UEW), and the Education Ministry for what he said was the unlawful extension of the school’s Governing Council’s tenure.

In a writ, he also accused the Governing Council of misappropriating the funds of the University after the expiration of two tenures in 2013.

The suit came months after the Member of Parliament for Effutu, Afenyo Markin, called for the immediate withdrawal of thousands of certificates issued by the University of Education, Winneba, since 2013.




The MP argued that, such certificates and degrees had been invalidated by the fact that an “illegal” University Council caused them to be issued without proper legal authority.

The plaintiff, represented by Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, where the University is located, Afenyo-Markin, had his reliefs upheld by the court, pending the determination of the case on Friday.

The court asked the accused persons to step aside for a new governing council chaired by Professor Emmanuel Nicholas Abaka to be sworn into office.

The new board also discovered some acts of malfeasance being perpetuated by the same accused persons and also urged them to step aside.

Later, some vital documents were found missing at the offices of the accused and the council ordered EOCO to investigate them including the corruption charges.

Per Thursday’s ruling further criminal action can be taken against the accused persons and also they cannot return to their post in their previous capacities.

Source: Starrfmonline.com