By Adeboye Ado
An Akoko-based legal practitioner, Ola Babaleye, has accused the management of Achievers University, Owo, of allegedly victimising parents and students affected by a school fees fraud allegedly perpetrated by a staff member of the institution.
In an open letter sighted by WEEKEND HOPE and addressed to the university’s management, Babaleye, who said he was acting on behalf of concerned parents and guardians, alleged that a staff member in the institution’s Bursary Department, Mrs Asabia Olanike Mary, diverted school fees paid by several parents into her personal bank account.
The lawyer claimed that the parents made the payments in good faith after being allegedly directed by the staff member to use her account for school fee transactions, believing she was acting on behalf of the university.
According to him, the affected parents were shocked when the university allegedly distanced itself from the transactions and demanded fresh payment of the fees before allowing the students to continue their academic activities.
Babaleye argued that the institution should accept responsibility for the actions of its employee, stressing that the staff member’s position in the bursary department gave her apparent authority that parents could reasonably rely upon.
“The University ought to have accepted responsibility for the gross administrative failure that enabled such fraudulent activities to occur within its system and should have moved swiftly to compensate the victims and protect its students from further hardship,” he stated.
He further alleged that some of the affected parents and students had been subjected to intimidation and threats despite being victims of the incident.
“The continued intimidation of the affected parents and students carries grave legal implications, and we shall explore it if the management of the institution will not do the needful,” the lawyer warned.
Babaleye called on the university to halt all forms of harassment against the affected families, ensure that students are not denied access to classes, examinations or academic benefits, conduct a transparent investigation into the matter and provide what he described as an equitable remedy.
He added that the parents might petition anti-corruption agencies and seek legal redress if the situation persists.
However, efforts to get the reaction of the management proved abortive.