By Our Correspondent
The Delta State University, Abraka, has dismissed three lecturers accused of professional misconducts from the institution including one Mr Ifeanyi Ogu-Raphael, a lecturer in department of Theatre Arts, who died over five months ago.
On June 3, 2003, Ugo-Raphael was allegedly caught in a girls’ hostel while attempting to rape student of his department and since then the lecturer has been on a lingering legal tussle to defend his name until his untimely demised in October last year.
It was learned that the late lecturer, alongside two others’ appointments, were considered/recommended for termination at the 90th Regular Meeting of the school’s Governing Council held 2 February, this year.
Sources closed to the family told our correspondent that despite an official letter announcing the death of the lecturer to the institution, the disciplinary committee set up by the school authority hear the allegation against went ahead to hear the case without defense from the late lecturer who just bagged PhD.
A copy of the institution’s official bulletin obtained by our reporter reads Ogu-Raphael was dismissed on alleged case of professional misconduct. “The committee recommended that Mr. I. Ugo-Raphael be dismissed from the service of the university”, it reads.
Other two lecturers also demised by Delsu are Dr. P. Akpoturi of Petroleum Engineering for gross misconduct arising from the conduct of 2013/2014 post UTME and Dr. RK Moruku, a senior lecturer at the department of Business Administration and Marketing for abuse of office and professional misconduct.
A source at the institution revealed that the lecturer was summoned by the committee, but died in a mysterious circumstance before the day he was expected to appear for the committee hearing. Our source added that Ogu-Raphael was dismissed to avoid paying any financial benefit to the family.
