Professor Adedibu Ojerinde, the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has been remanded in prison detention by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a judgement issued on Tuesday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered that Ojerinde be held in a detention facility until his bail application is heard on July 8.
Ojerinde was arraigned on an 18-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021, in which he was accused, among other things, of participation in the diversion of public monies worth over N5.2 billion, Justice Egwuatu issued the ruling.
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.
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.
