Nine years after they were maliciously accused of 'plagiarism' and unjustly dismissed by the authorities of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Dr. Janet Bamgbose and Mr. Akeem Bamigbade have, for the second time in six years, received favourable court ruling on the case they filed suing the university. An Appeal Court sitting in Lagos has on November 25, 2021 dismissed a case of plagiarism filed by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, against them reported The
Punch,
Tribune and many other
news media as the details of the court verdict emerged.
Prior to this round of legal victory for the victimized duo, Hon. Justice J. D. Peters of the National Industrial Court sitting at the Lagos Judicial Division in the Suit No: NICN/IA/ 371/2013 on the 1st of December 2016, granted the reliefs sought by Bamgbose and Bamigbade against which the university filed the failed appeal. Both Bamgbose and Bamigbade were Associate Professor and Assistant Lecturer of Chemistry respectively before their acrimonious disengagement from the service of the university.
It is hoped that the university will now do the needful and learn to follow due process especially shunning malice and vendetta when handling a serious issue like plagiarism. It would be recalled, however, that the illegality was perpetrated in May 2013 during the administration of the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn- The Holy Bible
