A senior academic staff member in Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, Mr Matthew Omolade, has threatened a legal action against the Rector of the institution, Dr Adekolawole Edaogbogun, for suspending him over “unsubstantiated allegation” of plagiarism.
Omolade, through his lawyer, Mr Soji Oyetayo, in a letter dated May 20, addressed to the Registrar of the institution, Mr Tunji Agboola, insisted that allegations against his client had not been proved, describing the decision to suspend him as a plot to punish him for an undisclosed offence.
He also accused the rector of appointing his son, Mr Goodness Edaogbogun, without approval by the governing council as lecturer.
According to him, only the Governing Council was empowered to punish, terminate or issue any letter of interdiction after fair hearing.
He demanded that suspension be reversed or he would approach court for redress.
Reacting to the allegations on behalf of the rector, the Deputy Rector Administration of the polytechnic, Mr Isiaq Adelabu, said an external assessor discovered that Omolade plagiarised in his work and subjected the work to further scrutiny.
Adelabu said, “When the external assessor alleged that he (Omolade) plagiarised, the assessor went ahead and printed the document he plagiarised and subjected it to an application that check the percentage of plagiarism and it came out to be 100 per cent plagiarised.
“An investigative committee was commissioned to give him a fair hearing. He was invited and series of questions were asked. After the investigation, it was revealed that three of his papers were 100 per cent plagiarised.
“It was the recommendation of that committee that was sent to the management and because of COVID-19 the council is not around. It was at that point that the management took the decision to suspend him pending the time the council would meet and take the decision on the report of the investigation committee.”
On the employment of the rector’s son, Adelabu said Goodness Edaogbogun was qualified for the appointment offered to him by the institution because he already had master’s degree when he was employed.
Punch
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