The Registrar of the Eastern Polytechnic Kenema Mr. Adonis Kanneh has revealed to the press in Kenema city the reason behind the expulsion of twenty five people from the college during the just concluded academic year. He disclosed that he served as the Secretary to the Board of the college council and also served as the chairman of the investigating committee of the recent misconduct at the college.
He explained that at first three students of the college in Kenema city namely Juliet Battu Karimu of Higher Teachers Certificate (H.T.C) Primary 2, the Presidential candidate Mohamed S.M.Feika of Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) 3, and Abu Kabba of H.T.C. Primary 2 together with a lecturer of the college Paul Sengeh have received their letters of rustication from the college for involving themselves in election malpractices during the student Union election that was scheduled for the 14th June 2009, where two candidates Alfred Morie Bockarie and Mohamed S.M.Feika were the contestants.
He says he was not at the college when the students went through the processes of nomination, press conference and up to the day of election. He says according to report received the atmosphere was very tense during the process and on the day of the election – 14th June 2009, some students were caught with excess ballot papers all ticked in favour of one candidate Mohamed S.M.Feika. The election was stopped by the Dean of students because the atmosphere was creating tension as both camps were against each other. The following Monday an emergency administrative staff meeting was held to discuss the issue. At the meeting an investigative committee comprised of five people was set up to investigate the matters that led to the cancellation of the election and cultism at the campus. He as the college registrar was the chairman of the committee which comprised of the Dean of the faculty of Education which is carrying the largest number of students, Dean of Basic and Applied science and also Dean of the campus and the admin assistant in the Dean of students office. He says a suggestion box was created through which they got information from the students. It was through this information that some students were identified who were alleged to be responsible for the ugly activities in the campus. The entire electoral commission were interviewed, the man who printed the ballot papers, the minister of social welfare, the President himself Mohamed Jaward who received all the monies to conduct the election, some of his key ministers who resigned only to take up appointment in the electoral commission and other names that the committee got for other activities within the campus.
At the end of the investigation the committee came up with a report that was sent to the principal Dr. Sandi Bockarie who ordered an emergency academic Board meeting. The meeting was held and the decision of the Board was that the key players who are continuing students must be expelled from the institution. One such student person was the lady who was caught with the ballot papers Julie Battu Karimu. Abu Kabba one of the core cult members who admitted that he was a personal body guard and had joined others to go to one of the students house at 2 am. While the lecturer Paul Sengeh whose name was mentioned in all the activities such as the student meetings and cult meetings. He was just recruited on 1st May 2009 and was issued with the provisional letter of appointment, because all appointment letters have to be ratified by the council. By the next council his case was presented and approved since he was identified as the man that was alleged to perform the initiation ceremony, the Board decided to dismiss him immediately since his case has not been approved by the Board.
The final year students who were taking their exams did not go free, all their documents are going to be withheld for four (4) years. Those students who were not playing a major role are going for two years with the understanding that by the time they are coming back, most of the key players who were not identified might have qualified and left the college. So on their return whatever group they will now find within the campus will have difficulty in recruiting as many as they are now.
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