Court remands ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde in prison over alleged N5.2b fraud
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered that a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Adedibu Ojerinde be remanded in prison custody.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Ojerinde on an 18-count charge bordering on corruption through conspiracy and the diversion of public funds amounting to over N5.2billion.
The ant-graft agency had in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, arraigned Ojerinde for allegedly committing the crime when he was the Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO) between 1999-2007. He was also JAMB Registrar from 10 April 2012 – 1 August 2016.
Delivering ruling after the arraignment of the academic, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered that Ojerinde be kept in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application. which was fixed for July 8.
Justice Egwuatu gave the ruling after Ojerinde pleaded not guilty when the charge was read before him and after hearing the submissions of ICPC counsel, and Ojerinde’s counsel,
Before the ruling, Ojerinde’s counsel, Peter Olorunnishola (SAN), had informed the court that he had filed a bail application and served same on the prosecution.
Olorunnishola however sought time to react to the counter-affidavit filed by the counsel to the prosecution.
ICPC’s counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle, did not object to Olorunnishola’s request for time to react to the counter-affidavit on the bail application.
He, however, opposed the defence lawyer’s application that his client be allowed to remain on the administrative bail, which was earlier granted him by the ICPC, pending the hearing of his bail application.
The trial Judge, therefore,ordered that Ojerinde be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.