18th June, 2018
The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has applauded the recent judgment of the National Industrial Court reinstating Mr. Olu Ibirogba as Bursar of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos.
CACOL also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to fast-track its investigation into allegations of fraud leveled against the management of the college.
This was contained in a press statement issued by Okechukwu Ndiribe, CACOL’s Coordinator of Research and Documentation on behalf of the group’s Executive Chairman, Mr Debo Adeniran.
The CACOL boss described the verdict of Justice Obaseki Osaghae of the Lagos Division of the court, as another victory in the on-going fight to stamp out corruption from all public institutions across the country.
According to Adeniran: “CACOL also welcomes the call made by the Judge while delivering his judgment that ‘The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission ICPC) and the Nigeria Police must as a matter of urgency commence investigations into allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds at the college to unravel the truth and veracity of the allegations. The officers of YABATECH found wanting should be prosecuted so as to restore sanity accountability and financial probity in the college.’ ”
The CACOL boss also hailed the court over its decision to impose a punitive fine of N20m on the management of the institution for exhibiting conduct that is contemptuous of the judiciary.
Adeniran further called on the Minister for Education to ensure that officials of YABATECH who jointly exhibited their contempt for the court should be made to individually pay the fine from their private pockets instead of doing so from the lean purse of the institution.
According to him: “ The judge also deserves commendation for granting an injunction restraining YABATECH or its agents from further punishing Mr. Ibirogba or subjecting him to any further disciplinary measure without good cause.”