N5.2b fraud: Court remands ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde, in prison till Thursday for hearing of bail application

By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the 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.

The Judge in a ruling on Tuesday, 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, looking pensive in the dock was arraigned on an 18-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, in which he was accused of complicity in the diversion of public funds put at over N900M

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission(ICPC) alleged that Ojerinde committed the offences from 2003 when he served as the Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) to 2021.

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

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

Olorunnishola however sought time to react to the counter-affidavit filed by lawyer to the prosecution.

Shogunle, who did not object to Olorunnishola’s request for time, however, 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.

Justice Egwatu in a ruling rejected the defence counsel request and ordered that the ex-JAMB Registrar be taken to prison custody till Thursday when his bail application would be considered.

Ojerinde is accused of committing alleged offences of diversion, making false statement, among others in the eight years he headed the examination body.

On count one, he was alleged to have, while serving as the Registrar of NECO, used his position to gratify himself by “corruptly converting the sum of N27m, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to personal use, to acquire a property known as Tejumola House,Ikeja, Lagos in the name of Doyin Ogbohi Industries Ltd, a company in which (he has) a private interest.”

On count two and three, Ojerinde was accused of diverting N3, 811,876,230.10, around February 16, 2009 into a Zenith Bank accounts number: 1002833087 and 1011265699 “in the name of JAMB-J. O. Olabisi.”

He was, on counts four and five, alleged to have used his position as JAMB Registrar to confer corrupt advantage on one Jimoh Olabisi Olatunde, whose accounts in Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC Plc with number: 1013583506 and 0022594599, in the name of JAMB-J. O. Olatunde, he allegedly diverted N205,712,575.23 between 2019 and 2018.

On count six, Ojerinde was said to have, between January and February 2014, conferred corrupt advantage on his associate by allegedly authorising the payment of N486m to Messrs Pristine Global Integrated Company, through a Zenith Bank account number: 1013701117 for the supply of “examination materials – calculators, pencil and eraser,” which sum was above his authorised approval threshold.

He was, on count eight, accused of diverting N15m with which he allegedly acquired a broadcast license for Ifelodun Communications Ltd (Gravity FM, Igboho), a company in which he is said to have a private interest.

On counts nine, 10, 11 and 12, Ojerinde was alleged to have diverted public funds to acquire landed property from a property firm, EFAB Estate, Abuja, though a proxy – P.I. Oye and Associates, “in order to conceal (his) beneficial interest in the said property.”

On counts 17 and 18, Ojerinde was accused of making false statements in respect of his relationship with his former lawyer, Peters Oyewole, one Adeniyi Banji and a firm, Standout Industries Ltd.

Earlier plan for the arraignment was put on hold due to his request for time to enable him and ICPC conclude the ongoing process for plea bargain.