Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Dibu Ojerinde, in a ₦5.2 billion fraud case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Naijaonpoint reports that the court ruled on Tuesday that Ojerinde has a case to answer based on the prima facie evidence presented by the anti-graft agency.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Egwuatu held that the prosecution’s witnesses had sufficiently linked Ojerinde to the alleged offences, necessitating that he must enter his defence.
“The no-case submission is hereby dismissed.
“The prosecution has established enough evidence requiring the defendant to offer explanations,” the judge ruled.
The matter was adjourned to July 16 for the defendant to open his defence.
Ojerinde, a former head of both JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO), was arraigned in July 2021 on an 18-count charge bordering on criminal diversion of public funds, abuse of office, and conspiracy to defraud the federal government.
According to the ICPC’s lead counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle, the alleged offences violate sections 19, 24, 25(1)(a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006.
Ojerinde had attempted to settle the matter through a plea bargain in February 2022 via his lawyer, Ibrahim Ishyaku (SAN), but the deal collapsed and the trial continued.
The ICPC subsequently called multiple witnesses and closed its case, prompting the defence to file a no-case submission, which was now struck out.
Among the key allegations, the ICPC accused Ojerinde of diverting billions of naira into private companies and personal accounts, while serving as registrar at JAMB and NECO.
The commission also alleged that he conferred undue advantage on himself, contrary to the anti-graft laws.
Ojerinde, however, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.