Alleged N5.2bn Fraud: Court Remands ex-JAMB Registrar in Prison

Alex Enumah

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Lawrence Adedibu Ojerinde, be remanded in prison custody.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling yesterday, ordered that Ojerinde be kept in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application, scheduled for July 8.

Justice Egwuatu gave the ruling after Ojerinde was arraigned on an 18-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, in which he was accused, among others, of complicity in the diversion of public funds estimated at over N5.2billion.

The prosecuting agency – the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) – said Ojerinde committed the alleged offences, contained in the charge, between from when he served as the Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO), though his years in JAMB, till 2021.

Ojerinde pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.

His lawyer, Mr. Peter Olorunnishola (SAN) subsequently informed the court about a bail application he filed and served on the prosecution.

Olorunnishola however sought time to react to the counter-affidavit filed by lawyer to the prosecution, Mr. Ebenezer Shogunle, which the defence lawyer said was served on him late.

The defence lawyer told the court his client was also standing trial before a High Court in Minna in Niger State in a similar case, which would be heard today.

He said Ojerinde had been arraigned and granted bail by the court in Minna, in respect of which he was made to surrender his international passport.

Olorunnishoa said since the hearing in the case before the court in Minna was scheduled for today (Wednesday), the court should grant the client temporary bail to enable him to attend the proceedings in Niger State and return on a later date for his bail application.

Relying on Section 165(1() of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) that allows the court the discretion to grant bail, Olorunnishola argued that the purpose of bail was to ensure a defendant attends court and not punished or keep such a defendant in government’s confinement.

He said his client was ready to stand trial and would not run away. He prayed the court to allow the defendant to remain on the bail earlier granted him.

Olorunishola told the court earlier that he had written the ICPC Chairman and sought an audience, with the possibility of a plea-bargain, but was told his client must appear in court. He added that the ICPC gave the impression that it was no longer interested in a plea-bargain.

Responding, Shogunle acknowledged filing a counter-affidavit against the bail application, which he had served on the defence.

Shogunle did not object to Olorunnishola’s request for time to react to the counter-affidavit but opposed the defence lawyer’s application that his client be allowed to remain on the administrative bail, earlier granted him by the ICPC pending the hearing of his bail application.

Shogunle said no law supports the defence’s request for a temporary bail.

He insisted that Ojerinde be remanded pending the hearing of his bail application.

On the defence lawyer’s claim that Ojerinde was billed to appear before the court in Minna the next day, Shogunle said the state has the means to move him around.

Ruling, Justice Egwuatu ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned till July 8 for a hearing of his bail application.