by Tony Icheku

Monday,  February 3, 2020, as Michael Okpara  University of Agriculture,  Umudike,  MOUAU holds an emergency meeting,  there are fears that the University's Vice Chancellor,  Professor Francis Otunta  may be absent as he may be invited  to give evidence in a case of bribery and receiving  of kick back from one of the school's contractors.

Theledgerng.com reports that a company  Chidex International  Nigeria Limited has dragged MOUAU's Public Relations  Officer,  Mrs Ada Odefa and her husband,  Anayo Nwachukwu to an Umuahia High  Court to enforce the fundamental Human Rights of their representative,  (names withheld)

Trouble began for the Chidex representative when Odefa and husband purportedly  acting  on Otunta's orders began using  high ranking police officers from Zone 9, Umuahia to harass and intimidate  him

Chidex reportedly  embargoed  further  payment  of about N1.5m/monthly, being kick back for the contract for cleaning of NDDC hostel,  MOUAU to the couple who claimed  they were  collecting  the money for Otunta

Though the VC has distanced himself from the fraudulent  transaction,  but at a meeting which he held with Odefa,  her husband plus the Chidex  representative and their lawyer,  he failed  to query  the actions of the couple  or call them  to order.

Odefa  has  reportedly boasted  that she has Otunta  under her thumbs and will go to any length to collect the money  said to be in arrears  for two months.

Part of the methods  she resorted to was using Police  officers to harass and intimidate the company official to compel him continue  payment of the kickback.

As the Council  meets Monday,  sources close to the school said this and series of other  scandals in which Otunta is at the center may be a major item on the agenda

Otunta  is already named in another court case instituted by a lecturer at MOUAU instituted by Prof Patricia  Mbah.

In recent  times,  Otunta has been named in various  sex scandals involving female students of the University.

Efforts to reach either Otunta or Odefa  failed as both  refused to pick their calls or respond  to SMS.