University of Guyana (UG) Vice-Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi yesterday denounced claims made by an online news site iNews report that he had uncovered acts of corruption at the institution and called for a retraction of the story and an apology.
Thursday, in an online reported headlined “VC unearths UG corruption ring, UWI report due in September,” the news site alleged that the VC, as a result of a special audit which he requested, has discovered instances of corruption taking place at the university.
However, the report was completely devoid of statements in which Opadeyi directly or otherwise confirmed that he had indeed discovered such practices in the special audit currently being conducted.
Instead, iNews stated, “according to reports, the audit teams found that monies which were allocated to the UG was instead diverted and used for other purposes.” In addition, it stated, “iNews understands that the audit team discovered major sales of examination papers on the campus along with the misuse of funds within the institution.”
The only detail Opadeyi is reported by iNews as having confirmed is the fact that the special audit was ongoing, and that a report is due to be submitted in September.
Nevertheless, iNews said that “Opadeyi did not disclose the details of the corruption,” suggesting that the VC did indeed, at least, confirm that he had discovered what that which iNews purported.
Responding to the article, Opadeyi, in a written statement yesterday, denounced the report which quoted him as “purporting to have uncovered a corrupt ring at the University of Guyana, in addition to several leaked examination papers.”
In his attempt to clear the air on the matter, he released a series of e-mail exchanges between himself and the iNews reporter responsible for the article.
In the emails, iNews stated to the VC that the audit had revealed that “major corruption, including the sale of examination papers to students by several lecturers had been discovered within the university.” Opadeyi was then asked by iNews to verify or confirm the statement which it made, and also to say what he would do to address the “very serious matter.”
Contrary to the iNews report, Opadeyi, directly addressing the alleged corruption, told the iNews reporter: “We have no evidence to support the allegation of sales of examination papers. This is not true.”
The VC, in his response to the published report, also said that he was surprised at the publication, considering the exchange he had with the reporter via e-mail.
He also said that apart from the brief e-mail exchanges which he made public, he had no formal contact with iNews.
In a statement which radiated caution to iNews and all other news publications, Opadeyi said, “I have nothing but the utmost respect for the conventions that speak to the freedom of the press and information. However, it is a very serious, and I daresay libelous offense for the media to misappropriate information and seek to tarnish one’s reputation in the process. Not only are such practices unethical, but they speak to the lack of integrity in a very noble profession that must practice fair and ethical reporting.”
Furthermore, he requested that the article be retracted and an apology issued.
In an article yesterday however, iNews said it stood by the initial article, based on the reliable information which the news site received. The article also says the audit has revealed that “monies which were allocated to the UG was (sic) instead diverted for other purposes” but none of these “other purposes” were listed.
