ICPC re-arrests ex-JAMB registrar, Ojerinde

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday, re-arrested the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Adedibu Ojerinde, in Abuja.

ICPC spokesperson Azuka Oguguwa, said in a statemement that Mr Ojerinde, who is currently undergoing corruption trial, was re-arrested after he allegedly refused to honour its invitations over fresh allegations of corruption.

“The commission had on the 12 December, 2022, invited the former JAMB Registrar for questioning over the new evidence but he wrote through his solicitor requesting for 14 days grace to enable him honour the invitation.

“Mr Ojerinde, however, refused to honour the invitation as undertaken by his counsel after the expiration of the 14 days grace on 27th December, 2022,” the statement read in part.

According to reports, Mr Ojerimde was re-arrested by operatives of the commission after a court hearing before Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, in Abuja, where he is standing trial on 18 charges of diversion of public funds to the tune of N5 billion.

The ICPC had arraigned him before the court on 8 July 2021.

He allegedly committed the offence during his tenure as registrar of the National Examinations Council, NECO, and JAMB.

Mr Ojerinde, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was later granted bail in the sum of N200 million.

The trial is ongoing in court.

Fresh allegations

The commission said the former JAMB registrar would be questioned by a team of investigators over new evidence uncovered in relation to his ongoing trial involving diversion of funds while he was a public officer.

It said two accounts opened in the names of Trillium Learning Centre Ltd and Sapati International Schools Ltd, which is also a subject of investigations, were uncovered by Its operatives.

It alleged that the accounts contained funds that were diverted using fictitious names of students.

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“In the course of its ongoing investigation, the Commission unearthed new evidence that suggests that Mr Ojerinde is the sole signatory to various bank accounts operated in the name of Trillium Learning Centre Ltd and Sapati International School Ltd. Ojerinde reportedly operated those accounts using false identities and forged documents in the names of Joshua Olakulehin Olaniran and Akanbi Lamidi respectively. He also reportedly used another false identity, Adeniyi Banji to operate a separate account in the name of Standout Institutes Ltd.

“The ICPC has recovered the cheque books of the companies’ accounts from Ojerinde, who has been taken into custody at the headquarters of the Commission.”

He would likely, according to the commission, be prosecuted in court for forgery of documents, stolen identity, money laundering and concealment of gratification.

A long road to trial

Mr Ojerinde’s troubles began after his exit as JAMB chief on 1 August 2016.

His successor, Ishaq Oloyede, after assuming office began to remit unspent revenues to the tune of N5 billion, a feat that was never thought possible in the previous years.

This sparked suspicion around Mr Ojerinde’s handling of the organisation’s funds during his time as JAMB’s head.

Investigations by the ICPC subsequently traced many properties, acquired in different states allegedly with proceeds of funds diverted from NECO and JAMB, to him.