UNBELIEVABLE: Verbally Suspended, Expelled Oduor attacked by Sang’alo Institute watchmen while on “official” duty (Video)

In Summary;

• Genesis of Oduor’s troubles
• More concerns raised
• Wanting Admins reactions
• Doctor’s report
• DCI order College WhatsApp group shut
• Rejoinder

Following the emergence of a video that went viral on 7th Oct 2022 showing two Sang’alo Institute of Science and Technology (SIST) watchmen manhandling a student, ikuwekuwe.com unleashed its rats to sniff for more info surrounding the incident. We managed to get hold of the victim and other students who have shared their side of the story as follows;

Fredrick Oduor Otieno a Civil Engineering student and a Muslim by faith joined Sang’alo Institute in September 2019 after failing to join Laikipia University due to lack of school fees. On losing the Laikipia chance the determined young man then decided to hustle around Bungoma town where he managed to get something small for upkeep and studies at Sang’alo Institute.

Oduor’s troubles started in January 2020 when he was elected unopposed as day scholars’ Minister; whose main role was representing students living outside the Institution.

Covid-19 break (March – Oct 2022)

There was a burial trip Taru in Kwale County that was coordinated by Oduor to lay to rest a deceased Quantity survey student. On their way back they noticed that one student wasn’t on board prompting Oduor to demand that they go to pick him against the wishes of the Dean who was onboard. After a verbal exchange with Dean and Driver, the bus was parked waiting for a student who had to endure unknown Kwale terrain to the bus. This angered the affected student who upon catching up using a bodaboda confronted the Dean of students but its Oduor who was punished for inciting the victim.

After Covid-19 break (March – Oct 2022) Oduor was unprocedurally suspended in Nov. 2020 by the Dean of students Mr. Kollikho following an unrest in the institution that was catalyzed by unaddressed 13-point concerns among them need for streetlights, insecurity, Water, Navigation, Library and timely availability of lecturers in classes…. These points had been raised by students through the then leadership during through a proposal that was handed to the County Director of Education for action.

He was also stripped off his leadership role unprocedurally and barred from accessing classes a move that prompted him to demand for his suspension letter for the sake of knowing his mistakes and therefore prepare a defense if any. Instead of issuing him with one, the administration unleashed some pro-administration students on him who attacked him with sharp objects leading to grievous harm in the pretext that he had damaged their properties. He was then using the administration’s influence thrown in Sang’alo Police post cell without any formal booking at the police. He was later released just like that.

He was also accused of leading a strike in 2021, assaulted the dean, damaged his colleague’s property but all these allegations have no documentary backing whatsoever at the Police

The administration seemed to have a problem with me because I refused to take Kshs. 200-300 motivation fee (bribe) to betray my colleagues whenever issues arose. As a Muslim I found it unacceptable and against Islam teachings to take bribes to betray a brother. The hired goons (my fellow students) attacked stabbing me with knives that left me with scars. On top of that I was arrested and thrown in Sang’alo Police post without any booking

says Oduor

His father once called the institution to get the same document (suspension letter) in vain.

He stayed away from 2021 choosing to be a fishmonger in his rural Nyanza home as he awaited his call-up back to college but it was not forthcoming. This prompted him to come back and managed to attend his Module 2 classes, sat internal exams where he regularly signed class attendance sheets among other official college documents that can prove this.

https://youtube.com/shorts/FYx1DdtE0lY

NOTE:

• OPEN FORUM is a meeting between the administration and students where both parties are invited to freely engage and/or air their views with a view of capturing pressing issues to be acted upon. The forum is supposed to happen once every term but has since early 2020 only happened twice: Nov 2022 and July 2022. Its normally planned and facilitated by the institution in partnership with the student leadership.
• The removal of ANY student leader demands for 75% of students’ signatures (vote of no-confidence)

The institution therefore unfairly used the very platform that was meant to assist the institution capture concerns as well as update students on what it’s doing to actually victimize them.

ikuweikuwe.com has also leant that Duncan Mutila an interim Vice Chair last term was among the twenty that were verbally suspended July 2022 after he participated in the open forum which was meant to collect welfare concerns from students. Any student who raised a valid but “negative” concern touching on character of Sang’alo Institute administration. His other mistake was to host student leaders in his office in preparation to the open forum. His demand for a suspension letter was futile too but he later returned to the institution after verbally apologizing to the administration and was therefore allowed back in class.

July 2022; Oduor participated in Open forum. While addressing participants that included the Principal, Dean and Head of Security, he specifically asked for the replacement of the Dean as he requested Principal Dr. Rosebella Chukwu to be hands on and deal with issues first hand before it’s too late. The deliberation in the said forum ultimately lead to 20 student leaders being summoned by the Dean who issued verbal expelled and/or suspended. This is where he was also accused of having led 3 strikes yet he had not been summoned, reprimanded by the institution or even arrested by Police. He was hurriedly cleared within hours a move that saw Oduor, the then chairman of the Scouting club leave SIST while possessing some of school items (kept in his room) due to the haste clearance.

He nevertheless feels some of the issues he raised earned him the administration’s rage. They include;

• Questioning the status of the food and beverage complex that was under construction and is said to be contracted to one of the institution’s employee
  • A follow-up on the same by the County Education office led to several transfers of the institution’s officials following determination that money had been misappropriated.
  • The institutions mess was also closed by the Ministry of Health after failing to meet health standards forcing the Institution to use the Social Welfare Hall (formerly Club {Sang’alo Institute of Science and Technology} SIST hall) which was initially used for entertainment.
• Oduor is also said to have questioned the laid-back leadership style of the Principle as he requested for a more hands-on approach which would include supervising the Dean who was obviously unreasonable so to say.

It is after noticing the weight of his concerns, that the Dean now in partnership with the Principal and Lucas Wanjala the Security officer verbally ordered that Oduor be ejected this time for good. He was given 24 hours to clear within which his clearance form was ready but was cleared in less than 6hours. No suspension letter highlighting the alleged 14 allegations was handed to him.

Oduor retreated to his 6^th Estate residence as he invested most of his time and energy on the sport he loves moves, Rugby. Being a member of Bungoma Rugby Football Club (BRFC), Sang’alo Institute of Science and Technology (SIST) students who train and/or support BRFC asked him to join them at their college training in preparation for oncoming games which he religiously did for a 2 weeks

He would everyday pass through the gate where Lucas Wanjala (Head Security seen clobbering Oduor in the video) and his colleagues were enroute to the college rugby pitch which is just at the gate and they did not raise a finger.

On the eve to the trip 6^th Oct 2022 Mr. Tito questioned the second year student on his failure to attend classes, Oduor narrated his ordeal and was asked to avail himself the following day (trip day) as the lecturer consults with the college leadership on the possibility of him joining the team on a trip to Kaimosi Teachers College where he’d play Rugby for the institution. Other disciplines included; hockey, rugby, basketball and racket games

On 7^th Oct 2022 Oduor who had been training with the rest of the students in preparation for a weekend games arrived at the assembly point to join the team but was confronted by the college Security led by Lucas Wanjala and his colleague. He was thoroughly beaten, frog-matched and locked up in a room before Mr. Tito arrived to inquire what was happening. He was baffled by the actions of the security personnel even though it seemed like there were orders from above.

A plain cloth Policeman later picked Fred up using a motorbike and locked up at Sang’alo Police post from 8am to 6pm without treatment, food and/or water.

He was later released without any booking at the OB and handed a document that was said to instruct him to present himself the following day to answer to assault charges as claimed by Lucas Wanjala.

Doctor’s report;

Oduor went to the Police the following morning and registered his statement for the first time (possibly because of the trending video). He collected P3 forms that were filled at Bungoma Referral Hospital as follows after an examination by a doctor;

• X-ray confirmed his worst fear, his lungs were damaged due to compressed ribs
• He sustained head and back injuries due to blow and kicks
• That he is mentally unfit due to torture

DCI order College WhatsApp group shut;

Following the incident that saw the college hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, the administration led by the Principal did move to arrest the situation that was now threatening to move out of hand;

• The deputy Principal who turns out to be against the negative publicity instead of condemning the watchmen’s act attempted to reprimand students from such in the name protecting the image.
• The Sang’alo Police who have over time been accomplices working together with the administration did not assist save the situation either. They kept intimidating the students cautioning them against contanting and sharing info with the media in a bid to cover there lazy and inefficient selves.
• The Open Forum that was planned for this week as announced by the Principal is yet to take place… This has therefore been one of the student’s prayer items whose delay has caused unrest.
• The investigating arm of the Police (DCI) also confirmed the worst student’s fears that the Police are out to cover the ills by asking admins to SANG’ALO NOTICE BOARD WhatsApp group to shut it down so as to stop students from asking the administration hard questions and exposing more ills.
• The Principal, her Deputy and Dean have since left the forum in protest of the students hardline position against being harassed by Police in the name of hiding the truth.

“I have not sat any KNEC exam since joining SIST. With all this mistreatment does the government still remit the Kshs. 30,000 Capitation paid every year?” I just want to finish my course and go ~ Oduor concluded

Rejoinder:

Reached;

• Principal Rosebella Chukwu made no comment even after ikuweikuwe.com link was blueticked
• Mr. Kolikho the Dean of students was unresponsive too

#iKUWEiKUWE Corner;

• My rat at the education office did inform me that the student has NOT been expelled:
  • Fredrick Oduor Otieno
    2019 Sept. intake
    Adm No.: DCE/13608/SIST
• Am reliably informed that Oduor’s sister visited the college yesterday to ascertain if indeed he was expelled but none of the admin. officers she came across had a clue and/or did not want to react to any questions only directing her to the dean who was absent.