The fight within the top leadership at Gulu University has deepened after Dr. Shadat Mutyaba Ssemakula Mohmeded the Dean Faculty of Law rushed to the High Court challenging his dismissal.
In his affidavit, Dr. Shadat Mutyaba told Court that the university top management acted in blatant disregard of his fundamental rights with apparent bias, trickery and double prejudice against him.
He explained that his troubles with the university leadership started in October 2023 when David Obol Otori the University Secretary served him a letter asking him to attend a top management meeting on 25th October 2023.
He added that on the set date, some members of the University Management Committee informed him that they are in another meeting with Professor George Openjuru the University Vice Chancellor.
However, on the same day in the evening, Obol summoned him for the meeting at 3pm.
When he asked why he was summoned, Obol told him that he will get to know the charges against him during the meeting.
When the meeting sat, it was chaired by the VC Prof. Openjuru, others in the meeting were; Associate professor David Okello Owiny, the Deputy Vice Chancellor; John Nyeko University the Bursar; Dr. Jerry Bagaya, Academic Registrar; Perez Matsiko, Chief ICT; Asaf Adebua Chief Planning and Development; Omar Moses Legal Officer; Agnes Oliver Ator Senior Human Resource and Hebert Manana who stood in for the University Librarian.
During the meeting, Dr. Shadat Mutyaba said that he asked the Vice Chancellor why he commissioned John Okello to investigate him and compel him to resign.
The VC Prof. Openjuru declined to answer his question but Obol protested Dr. Shadat Mutyaba’s question insisting that his question was diversionary, and that the meeting should proceed and the VC should continue questioning him.
He claimed that when he was done questioning him, the Vice Chancellor directed other members in the meeting to also ask him questions including him clarifying on the alleged inconsistencies in regards to the names on his documents.
Because of the many questions that were being fired at him, he reached a point when he informed the meeting that he was fatigued and stepped out for a break.
Shadat said that when the meeting resumed, the Vice Chancellor informed him that there were further questions which needed explanation but they didn’t have time.
He was told that the University top management will communicate to him later.
He divulged that on 27th October 2023, he received a letter from the Office of the University Secretary informing him of more Top Management questions which required answers. He directed his lawyers on 3rd November 2023 to file a request for extension of time which was sent to the University Secretary through email and also physically.
Dr. Shadat explained that on 10th November, 2023, the University Secretary communicated to him that he had not replied within the required seven days.
He however allowed him to submit more information concerning his defense which he protested through his lawyer.
He was directed to appear before the University Appointment Board on 7th December, 2023.
On December 1st 2023, the University Secretary through a WhatsApp message told him that he had failed to respond to the University queries and on 8th of the same month, he attended the Appointment board where he was kept waiting until 8.00pm in the company of his lawyer Nasser Badiru Higenyi.
“That on 9th December 2023, I was called by the Registrar of Records through my mobile to check my email, which I did on Saturday and I found the interdiction letter. Later on, I found the interdiction letter on the Gulu University Academic Staff Association (GUASA), WhatsApp group, the independent online and observer publication. On 24th January 2024, I received a letter to appear before the Appointments Board,” Shadat’s affidavit reads in parts.
He insists that the University top management sealed his fate when it was not duly constituted either under the Human Resources Manual or the University and other Tertiary institutions Act.
He added that he was not given the investigation report which was presented to the Appointment Board to decide his fate since to the best of his knowledge, the meeting was null and void.
He told Court that University Officials acted in a malicious and scandalous manner against him by subjecting him to grave injustice, mental anguish, deprived his self-esteem and career direction for which he prayed that Gulu University is found vicarious liable in general damages.
Dr. Shadat further produced evidence showing that his academic record is very clean and that he is ready to produce all the persons he studied with from primary school to university in England.
He narrated that he obtained his Master of Law at Kingston University and PhD from Brunel University all in London.
His legal documents were confirmed by England’s Solictor’s Regulation Authority of England and Wales in July 2020.
He explained that when he came back into the country, he went to the National Council for Higher Education to certify his academic papers. He then presented them to Gulu University before he was given a job.
He added that he is the only person who went to the National Council for Higher Education to certify the academic papers he obtained from abroad. Other staff including those on the university top management didn’t bother.
It is on these grounds that he pleaded with the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to pick interest into the matter.
He alleged that his troubles started when he hosted the end of year Law Dinner at the university which was graced by; Supreme Court Justice Mike Chibita, Justice and Constitutional affairs minister Norbert Mao, Archbishop John Baptist Odama and other government and cultural dignitaries.
“From that point onwards, the university Vice Chancellor and other top university management officials started seeing me as a threat. They have been fighting me because of my tribe and religion,” Dr. Shadat said.
He added that for some time now, he has been getting death threats from unknown people who have been trailing him in a Toyota Hiace.
He even reported the matter to police and other security agencies.
He further accused the university Vice Chancellor and the university secretary of having a malicious agenda to character assassinate him through staging fabricated accusations including giving marks after having sex with university girls.
He pleaded with the first lady, who is also the Minister of Education and sports Janet Kataha Museveni to intervene basing on Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka’s legal opinion given that he was even subjected to the university Appointment Board illegally.
The University has not yet filed their defense.
By Sengooba Alirabaki
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