Court Absolves Suspended UNIOSUN Officials Of Financial Misappropriation

By Nofisat Marindoti

The National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has vindicated the  duo of former Registrar of Osun State University, Dr. Julius Faniran and the erstwhile University’s Bursar, Dr. Fatai Lasisi of financial misappropriation, just as it ordered the University to accord them their entitlements accordingly.

The presiding judge, Justice Faustina Iyabode Kola-Olalere described all allegations levelled against them as baseless and unfounded, adding that the substance of the case  technicality indicated that the men have acted in line with the rules and regulations of the University, and was not found wanton of any misdeed.

It could be recalled that both Faniran and Lasisi were suspended by the University Governing Council, headed by Prof.  Gabriel Olawoyin (SAN) in February 2015 for alleged financial impropriety and maladministration, forcing them to approach the court for redress.

The visitor to the University, Governor Rauf Aregbesola upon the suspension set up a visitation panel on February 17, 2015, headed by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology FUTA,  Akure to investigate the matter and submit its report.

The panel, according to Lasisi,  who spoke on behalf of the duo on Thursday in Osogbo could not found them wanton of any misdeed,  which made the new Chairman of the council,  Mallam  Yusuf Ali(SAN) to invite them for meeting as to reach an amicable resolution to the lingering crisis.

Dr Lasisi explained that he and Dr Faniran proceeded to court in order to challenge the termination of their appointment that it was illegal, null and void.

He further explained, “At that point in time, the same council or the same University that terminated our appointment now later invited us for discussion for them to know that we are not guilty of any offense.”

“At the end of the day, we agreed on numbers of things and one of those things is that they should pay our entitlement to the point of our tenure and the release of two official cars to each of us, myself Dr Fatai Lasisi and Dr Julius Faniran.

“The intervention of the new Chairman of the Council,  Mallam Yusuf Ali substantially doused the tension; he made sure that we had an amicable resolution of the melee.

“Mallam Ali is a very foresight person. Immediately he got to the chair of the University he said these people must be invited settle the matter out of the court. I want to say to the whole world that Mallam Ali is truly a man of God.”

He said the invitation was extended to the two of them  to settle because the University knew they have accused them of the offence they  never committed

” The University management admitted that our suspension was done in bad faith,  and allegations levelled against us were all baseless and unfounded,  it was sealed in black and white,  and this eventually formed the basis in which the judgment was based.

“It is indeed our joy that we were vindicated eventually,  that is why we consider this briefing very important for the purpose of proving our innocence as affirmed by the court to the whole world.

“The university has since complied with the court ruling,  paying us all our entitlements, including our cars which were seized from us during the crisis.

“This judgement has reinforced our confidence in the judiciary as the last home of commoners at all times,  we are also grateful to Mallam Yusuf Ali for his wisdom”, he said.