Key highlights:
- ICPC accuses accused Prof. Ojerinde of diverting money meant for JAMB while serving as head of the agency between 2008 to 2015.
- He is accused of creating six shell companies and running accounts under fictitious names to divert government money into private use
- Ojerinde, who was arrested last year was later re-arrested by operatives of ICPC this year after a January hearing before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja.
The Independent and Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, says it is dragging the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde to court over N5 billion fraud.
They accused Prof. Ojerinde of diverting money meant for JAMB while serving as head of the agency between 2008 to 2015.
They added he created six shell companies and ran accounts under fictitious names to divert government money into private use in a statement on Friday night.
Fraud
The ICPC stated that the ex-JAMB chief misappropriated government funds, through companies linked to him and his children, they said:
- “ The ICPC drags Ojerinde, Children, Six Companies to court over N5bn fraud “
- “ICPC has dragged the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde to court over N5 billion fraud.
- “The former JAMB boss, six private companies linked to him and four of his children were charged before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, for their involvement in official corruption and conspiracy to conceal the fraud.
Charges
They added that the funds were diverted from 2008-2015 through shell companies used by him and his family, they said:
- “In a 17-count charge, the anti-corruption agency accused Prof. Ojerinde of diverting money meant for JAMB, while serving as head of the agency between 2008 to 2015.
- “Ojerinde was further accused of creating six shell companies and running accounts under fictitious names to divert government money into private use.
- “The children also charged before the Federal High Court, Maitama including Mary Funmilayo, a one-time House of Representatives member; Olumide Abiodun, and Adedayo and Oluwaseun Adeniyi.
Backstory
Ojerinde, who was arrested last year was later re-arrested by operatives of ICPC this year after a January hearing before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja where Ojerinde had been standing trial on an 18-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N5 billion.
A warrant of arrest for his re-arrest was obtained from the FHC Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho.
NAN reports that the ICPC had, on July 8, 2021, arraigned the former JAMB registrar on an 18-count charge as he was accused of committing the offence during his tenure as registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO) and JAMB.
Ojerinde pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was later admitted to bail in the sum of N200 million.
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