A Brazilian university rector was forced to withdraw Thursday following student protests against his alleged involvement in a fund abuse scandal.
Timothy Mulholland, of the University of Brasilia (UnB), said in a statement that he will leave his position for 60 days to safeguard "efficiency," "transparency" and "legality" during the investigation into the incident.
According to the Public Prosecution Office, 470,000 reais (280,000 U.S. dollars) of a fund earmarked for the development of the state-owned UnB, were used to decorate the rector's apartment, where he lived with his family for one year. Luxury items were purchased, including a rubbish bin worth almost 1,000 reais (595 dollars).
Mulholland told the press that the purchase of the furniture was "an institutional decision" which he did not take part in, but the decorator in charge informed the prosecutors that she had a meeting with the rector and his wife to discuss the decoration plan.
A group of 338 teachers, including Vice Rector Edgar Mamiya and five deans, approved the temporary withdrawal of the rector.
Students have been occupying the university's headquarters building for almost a week, despite a local court ruling that ordered the end of the demonstration. Water and energy supplies have been cut to the students.
According to the movement's leaders, Mulholland's withdrawal was their "first victory" but their demands go further than that, as the rector was only one part of a "corrupted system." They said the protest will continue at least up to Monday when an assembly will be held.
Meanwhile, public prosecutors also charged UnB's publishing company with spending money originally for a health program for the indigenous population by hiring fancy catering services for events. Some of the events organized by the company even offered caviar to the guests.
Source:Xinhua
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