N5.2billion fraud: JAMB’s former registrar, Ojerinde faces gloomy future

These are not the best of times for Professor Adedibu Ojerinde, the first Nigerian Professor of Tests and Measurement and a former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) who is currently standing trial for fraud while at the helms of JAMB.

Mr Ojerinde was JAMB chief between 2007 and 2016. After his exit, his successor, Ishaq Oloyede, remitted unspent funds of about N5 billion leading many to suspect Mr Ojerinde of corruption, especially as he returned a far less sum in his nine years as JAMB chief.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the scholar to be remanded in prison pending the hearing of his bail application, scheduled for July 8.

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Justice Egwuatu gave the ruling after Ojerinde, dressed in white native attire, was arraigned on an 18-count charge, and 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, from 2003 when he served as the Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) till 2021.

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

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His lawyer, 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, Ebenezer Shogunle, which the defence lawyer said was served on him late.

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

The highest amount that JAMB had ever remitted into the consolidated revenue fund before this management was N3 million, according to former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.