Former Vice Chancellor accused of corruption gets bail

The accused persons are facing a seven-count charge bordering on fraud, conspiracy and abuse of office.

Earlier, the accused were remanded in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody.

The judge, David Oladimeji, granted Mr. Elujoba bail on self recognizance while Ronke Akeredolu, the former bursar, was granted a N50 million-bail and two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must be academic and high-ranking officers within the institution.

The judge, however, condemned the attitude of the staff and students of the institution in Ede on July 11, where the case was first heard.

That day, irate students and workers of the institution staged a protest and compelled the judge to reverse an order sending the former vice chancellor to prison custody.

They insisted he be remanded in an EFCC custody, a demand the judge later agreed to.

Justice Oladimeji said such an attitude could prevent the court from granting a bail to the accused, noting that the bail was granted in the interest of justice.

The accused persons were arrested on July 5.

The EFCC counsel, Festus Ojo, had told the court that the accused committed the offences while serving as the vice-chancellor and the bursar of the institution.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the judge adjourned the case until October 27 for hearing.

Lecturers Protest Arraignment Of Former OAU VC

Lecturers at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) on Monday protested the arraignment of the former acting vice chancellor of the school, Professor Anthony Elujoba.

Professor Elujoba was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for his alleged involvement in financial misappropriations.

The lecturers embarked on a peaceful demonstration on Monday around the campus in solidarity with a former acting vice chancellor, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Free Elujoba” and “Elujoba is innocent, we demand his release”.

The protest was led by the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), OAU chapter, Dr. Niyi Sumonu.

He told reporters that the action was to identify with Professor Elujoba whom the lecturers said was innocent of all the charges levelled against him.

The union acknowledged the efforts of the EFCC in beaming its searchlight on financial happenings in the school but claimed that the real culprits were not been tried.

Professor Elujoba was arraigned on Friday, July 7 by the anti-graft agency on seven counts bothering on financial misappropriations.

Although he was remanded in EFCC custody, his bail application hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, July 11 before Justice David Oladimeji of the Osun

Ex-OAU vice chancellor remanded in detention over N1.4 Billion Alleged fraud

An Osun State high court has remanded a former vice-chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Anthony Elujoba, in custody until Tuesday next week, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned him over an alleged N1.4 billion fraud.

The former vice-chancellor and the university’s bursar, Josephine Akeredolu, who both appeared in court in handcuffs, are facing a seven-count charge of diversion of funds and abuse of office.

Messrs. Elujobi and Akeredolu have denied any wrongdoing.

They appeared before the court presided by Justice David Oladimeji on charges bordering on an intent to steal money belonging to the university and conspiracy to defraud. among other offences.

The counsel to the defendants, Ibrahim Lawal, in an application for bail, prayed the court to remand his clients in EFCC custody pending the determination of the application.

But the EFCC counsel, Festus Ojo, asked instead that they be remanded at the Ilesha Prisons.

In his ruling, Justice Oladimeji ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing of the application on Tuesday, July 11.

Workers of the university, including the current Vice-Chancellor, Ogunbodede Eyitope, were in court to show support to their embattled colleagues.

They displayed various placards demanding that the EFCC should bring out the ‘real looters’ and release Mr. Elujoba.

The university had declared Friday lecture free to enable the workers show their support for the accused.

Mr. Elujoba is popular among staff and students of the university who believe he worked hard to maintain peace in the university in his short stint as vice chancellor.