Police arraign principal for diverting students’ exam fees

Ijaye-Ojokoro Magistrate’s Court
| credits: Afeez Hanafi

The police have arrested the principal of a private school in the Katangowa, Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos for allegedly converting to his own use, a sum of N120,000 said to be students’ fees for the 2014 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

It was learnt that the proprietress of the school ─ Queens Diana International College ─ Miriam Kanu, had given the sum to the principal, Mr. Michael Diekola, as the examination fees of 20 students in Junior Secondary School 3.

Our correspondent gathered that Diekola, rather than using the money to register the students, converted it to his own use, claiming the school owed him two months salaries.

The suspect was said to have liaised with his colleague to get question papers and answer sheets for the unsuspecting candidates who reportedly sat for the exams.

His gimmicks, PUNCH Metro learnt, became known when the proprietress went to the examination office to collect the candidates’ results few months after the completion of the examination. She found out that there were no records for the students.

It was said that the proprietress reported the matter at the Oke-Odo Police Division when the pressure from the parents of the affected candidates on her became unbearable.

Following his arrest, two counts bordering on fraud and stealing were preferred against him before an Ojokoro Magistrate’s Court.

Diekola, however, pleaded not guilty of the offences.

The charges read, “That you, Michael Diekola, on May 10, 2014, at Queens Diana International College, Katagowa, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did unlawfully conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by fraudulently conducting Basic Education Certificate Examination to some students which you know very well that you did not register them for the examination and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did steal the sum of N120,000 property of one Miriam Kanu, the proprietress of Queen Diana International College, Katangowa, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 278 (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

The magistrate, Mrs. A. Akani, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N120,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

She added, “The sureties must be gainfully employed and tender their evidence of tax payment. They must also include their addresses which will be verified by the prosecutor.”

The matter was adjourned till October 8, 2014.

PUNCH