By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan – Prof. Adeshola Adepoju, the Director-General, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), has told an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, that he never created a private account for deduction of unions’ dues.
Adepoju made the clarifications on Tuesday while being cross examined by Mr Olufemi Omotayo, Counsel to Abraham Joseph, a former FRIN staff, standing trial in a case of defamation and breach of public peace level against him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that Joseph is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of public peace and publishing defamatory message against Director-General of FRIN.
Adepoju said that payment of salaries of FRIN staff was being handled by the Integrated Payroll and Personal System (IPPIS), pointing out that he has no role in the payment of workers’ salaries.
The Director-General further told the court that he neither work in IPPIS office, nor know whether the platform has a password or username.
He said that office of the institute’s Accountant was the one that approved those designated as IPPIS Desk officer.
Adepoju added that as the institute’s Director-General, he has no saying on who should be put on IPPIS Desk.
The witness said that deductions of staff salaries for unions’ dues, cooperatives and others were done by IPPIS and paid directly into their accounts.
On why the unions’ dues were not remitted for some months, Adepoju said that leaders of the unions themselves travelled to Abuja to find out what happened.
“When the unions leaders came back, they told me that the dues were not remitted due to non-availability of funds,” he further told the court.
Responding to another question, Adepoju said he did not know whether two queries were issued to the defendant, Joseph, the same day, since he was not working in the Administrative Department.
The witness/complainant also told the court that he never offered to reach out to Sahara Reporters based on the publication against him , alleging that he diverted the staff cooperative deductions from IPPIS to his personal use.
According to him, I was not even aware that the medium interviewed four members of staff of the institute.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Aminat Ameen, sought to tender the Sahara Reporters’ publication and certificate of compliance as exhibits to the court, citing various sections of the Evidence Act to prove admissibility of the exhibits.
The defence counsel objected to tendering of those documents, citing different sections of the Evidence Act that the prosecution counsel had failed to comply with the laws that would warrant admissibility of the documents as exhibits.
Magistrate T.B.Oyekanmi, then marked the documents as exhibits.
Oyekanmi said she would rule on admissibility of the exhibits while delivering judgment in the case.
However, the prosecution urged the court to grant her an adjournment to enable her to bring the second prosecution witness, which was not objected to by the defence counsel.
Oyekanmi, then adjourned the case until March 21 for further hearing.
NAN recalled that the defendant and others now at large, allegedly conspired with Sahara Reporters, an online medium, to publish a defamatory article against the Director-General of FRIN.
The prosecution said this is with the intention of tarnishing his reputation and causing a breach of public peace at the institute, knowing that the publication was false and could lead to civil unrest within and outside the country.
Also, the prosecution said the incident happened on June 29, 2021 at about 2.00 p.m.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravened Sections 517, 375 and 249(d) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
NAN reports that the defendant, if found guilty of the charges, would be liable to serve a total of three years and one month imprisonment.
Section 517 of Conspiracy stipulates two years imprisonment; Section 249(d) of breach of public peace stipulates one month imprisonment, while Section 375 of defamation stipulates one year imprisonment. (NAN/vitalnewsngr.com)
