Essential documents at the centre of investigations into the alleged financial malfeasance and procurement irregularities against the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education Winneba (UEW) Prof. Mawutor Avoke and five others, have allegedly been stolen.
According to the new Governing Council of the University, the documents were allegedly removed from files at some offices in the University at night.
“…The Council has been informed of alleged removal of vital documents from files at some offices that are at the centre of the investigations at dead night,” a statement issued and signed by the Council Chairman Prof. Emmanuel N Abekah Tuesday claimed.
The allegation of financial and procurement irregularities made against the six officers of the University is being investigated concurrently by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
Following the allegation which was made by a native of Winneba,Supi Kofi Kwayera and forms the basis of a suit he filed against Vice Chancellor and the University, the Governing Council formed a three-member fact finding committee on September 5, 2017.
Its mandate was to establish the facts to aid the University in its defence in the court case.
An interim report of the Committee was presented to the Council which on Tuesday convened an emergency meeting to discuss the said report.
The Council at the said emergency meeting “decided that to enable the Committee, EOCO and BNI to do a thorough work without being impeded, undermined, compromised and or shipwrecked”.
It has consequently ordered six officers whom the allegations were made against to “step aside” with immediate effect for investigations to continue.
They are Prof. Mawutor Avoke; Dr Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Finance Officer; Ms Sena Dake Internal Auditor; Ms Mary Dzimey, Acting Head of Procurement and Daniel Tetteh, Ag. Deputy Director of Works and Physical Development, and Finance Officer Frank Owusu Boateng.
Prior to Tuesday’s decision by the Governing Council, the Winneba High Court hearing the case in July this year ordered the VC, Prof. Avorke and Frank Owusu Boateng to step aside until the determination of the case.
The two have since vacated their post at the University.
Meanwhile, some members of the Council have raised concern about the latest development within the University, claiming the Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Afful-Broni and University Council Chairman, Prof. Abeka are “scheming” to ensure the dismissal of the six officers.
A source within the Council who spoke to 3News on condition of anonymity challenged the mandate of the three-member fact finding committee in investigating the matter.
The source claimed the interim report of the committee which was presented to the Council Tuesday was not signed by any of the members, something that raises suspicion yet the Council went ahead to adopt it.
The Committee, according to the source, was supposed to have presented its report by the end of September but failed to meet the deadline, only for it to come before the Committee for an extension which was granted.
Our source said the Committee got a two-week extension but before the deadline next week, it came to the Council with its interim report.
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