MONROVIA – Following intense claims and counter claims over his studies at the state-owned University of Liberia, Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee, has finally been cleared by the university’s authority to obtain a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration at the ensuing 102nd Commencement Convocation on March 18, 2022.
Koijee is also the Chairman of the National Youth League of the CDC.
Since he obtained the clearance for graduation from the UL and his year book souvenir photo went viral on the social media, Koijee has been accused of allegedly committing academic fraud by bribing his way through to obtain graduate with honor from the university by youth and student advocate Martin Kollie and several others.
He has since denied the claims.
Kollie officially complained to the UL authorities, claiming that Koijee did not complete all of the required courses to earn a degree from the university.
He said the university should act swiftly by launching an investigation in a bid to save its reputation.
Kollie is also an alumnus of the university.
His complaint was contained in an 11-count document submitted to authorities of the university, through its Vice President for Academic Dr. Moses Zinnah.
He emphasized that a pronouncement made by Mayor Koijee that he will be “graduating with cum laude from UL is not just inconceivable but its root can be traced to academic fraud and malfeasance”.
“Mayor Koijee duped or defrauded UL and this is not an assumption. It is a fact and we have attached an 11-count dossier to prove that his so-called “cum laude clearance” is a scandal sheet that must be thoroughly investigated by you. Mayor Koijee cannot be allowed to buy his way at the UL while other students are compelled to undergo stringent classroom rigors. This is unfair”.
Kollie emphasized that if Mayor Koijee is allowed to graduate without being for this egregious fraud, UL is likely to lose its hard-earned reputation”.
“The integrity of the UL is at stake. I am cautioning you to save your administration from public ridicule. Thousands of alumni, lecturers, students, and Liberians are very shocked by the controversial circumstances surrounding Mayor Koijee’s cum laude graduation. Please investigate and Mayor Koijee’s graduation on hold until an investigation is launched”.
But in a statement issued on Wednesday, March 16. 2022, the UL authorities disclosed that it has launched an investigation into the matter.
The statement was issued under the captioned: “Investigative Panel’s Report Finds No Evidence to Deny Student/Candidate Jefferson T. Koijee of Graduation”, and signature of Counselor Norris Tweah, Vice President for UL Relations.
It disclosed that the Panel was comprised of the Office of Enrollment Services (OES), the Leadership of the College of Business and Public Administration, and the Electronic €-Portal (MWETANA) Systems’ Administrator.
“The report of the investigation was submitted to the UL President Prof. Dr. Julius J. Sarwolo Nelson, Jr., and his Cabinet on Monday, March 14, 2022. Following the discussion of the information provided, the following decisions were reached: 1. That the University of Liberia had done sufficient due diligence to the matter by thoroughly investigating all claims through a comprehensive review of the records of student/candidate, Jefferson T. Koijee”.
“ That contrary to claims that the student/candidate in question committed or attempted to commit academic fraud, it was established that in fact there are two students bearing the name Jefferson Koijee enrolled at the University of Liberia; i. Jefferson T. Koijee (ID# 57630), a graduate of the Calvary Baptist High School and enrolled in the A. Romeo Horton College of Business and Public Administration in 2008/2009 Academic Year with a major in Public Administration and a minor in Political Science; and ii. Jefferson Tamba Koijee (ID# 76154), a graduate of the Len Miller High School and enrolled in the William R. Tolbert College of Agriculture and Forestry in 2012/2013 Academic Year. Both students are alive and in Liberia”.
The university pointed out that the investigation did not reveal or disclose sufficient reason based on the facts gathered from documents in the system and on file, including grade sheets, entrance results, of UL Relations control sheets, class roster, etc., to prevent student/candidate Jefferson T. Koijee (ID#57630) from graduating in the 102nd
“Notwithstanding, the UL herein reiterates in no uncertain terms that should there be any new information probative enough of material facts at issue which establish fraud in the process different from what was already reviewed, the University of Liberia will, and reserves the right to, revoke the degree as awarded, as has been done in time past, in keeping with its policy of zero-tolerance against academic fraud and malfeasance enshrined in the various policy instruments in the Revised UL Student Handbook Therefore, student/candidate Jefferson T. Koijee (ID # 57630) cannot be denied or stopped from participating in the 102nd Commencement Convocation exercises, if he so elects to do SO. The University will confer the degree accordingly.