ABIA State Polytechnic, Aba has said that it has uncovered N43m scam by some students who obtained fake school fees receipts from a woman believed to be working for a lecturer in the school.
The Acting Rector, Prof. Ezionye Eboh, who confirmed the development in Aba, said over 700 students were involved in the scam.
He revealed that the students paid N10,000 to the suspect, who issued them with fake stamped receipts to evade the payment of N50,000 school fees charged by the institution.
Eboh said the receipt forgery was discovered when the school management made it compulsory for students to present their school fee receipts before sitting for examinations.
He said, “When we discovered this forgery going on in the school, we contacted the police to fish out and arrest the suspect, who operates a business centre near the polytechnic. The said lecturer that was fingered in the scam has been suspended while the students are under investigation.
“We will ensure that the students involved would be punished to serve as a deterrent to others. We have also redeployed 10 senior nurses working in the school clinic that was overstaffed.
“We could have sacked them but Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said they should be retained and reassigned to places where their services would be needed.
“With their redeployment, the institution would save N34m per annum, having blocked several loopholes in the institution. We have been able to pay five months of 2016 salary arrears.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the arrest of the suspect who allegedly issued fake school receipts to students.
Ogbonna said the suspect identified as Caroline Augustine had been charged to court.
Source:punch
