A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by Professor Dibu Ojerinde, the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in his ongoing trial over alleged N5.2 billion fraud.
Presiding judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, on Tuesday ruled that the prosecution, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), had established a prima facie case requiring Ojerinde to enter a defence.
“The no-case submission fails and is dismissed,” Egwuatu declared. He subsequently ordered the defendant to open his defence and adjourned the matter to July 16.
Ojerinde is facing an 18-count charge relating to abuse of office and fraudulent diversion of public funds during his tenures as the head of both JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO). He was arraigned in July 2021 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The ICPC alleges that Ojerinde engaged in multiple acts of financial impropriety while serving as registrar, including conferring corrupt advantages upon himself. The charges are said to contravene sections 19, 24, and 25 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, as well as section 1 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006.
Prosecution counsel Ebenezer Shogunle presented witnesses during the trial to support the claims of large-scale financial misconduct, leading to the closure of the ICPC’s case.
A plea bargain previously sought by the defence in February 2022 failed to yield any agreement, prompting the continuation of the trial. Ojerinde subsequently filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant a defence. The court has now ruled otherwise, compelling him to respond to the allegations in court.