The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has approved the suspension of a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Prof. Ifeanyi Sunny Odinye, for three months with half salary.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations of the University, Comrade Aloysius Attah, the panel, chaired by the Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Emmanuel Obidimma, in its preliminary report submitted to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bond Anyaehie, indicted Prof. Odinye for contravening Section 5.8.3 of the university’s General and Academic Regulations by failing to record and submit a case of examination misconduct involving a student, Chikamso Favour Okechukwu, on the prescribed Examination Misconduct Report Form.
The panel also found that the lecturer returned to the student on the same day an offending mobile phone recovered during the examination, contrary to Section 5.8.1(iv) of the General and Academic Regulations.
Consequently, the Vice Chancellor directed that Chikamso Favour Okechukwu be referred to the Students’ Examination Misconduct Committee for appropriate consideration.
The statement said the school management has also extended the duration of the Special Investigative Panel by another two weeks to enable it complete its assignment and address the remaining three of its five terms of reference.
The outstanding issues include; determining whether there was sexual harassment, identifying the persons involved in the alleged assault on Prof. Odinye, and establishing whether there was any incident of kidnapping in the matter.
The panel is expected to submit its final findings and recommendations to the Vice Chancellor at the end of the extended period.
The university said a final verdict, including possible criminal prosecution, may follow from the outcome of the investigation.
