Former JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde, family members arraigned over alleged sale of govt property
A former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, was arraigned yesterday with his three sons and a daughter-in-law at a Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged complicity in the sale of a Federal Government’s property in Ghana.
Ojerinde, his son’s (Olumide Abiodun Ojerinde, Adedayo Ojerinde and Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde) and daughter-in-law (Mary Funmilola Ojerinde) as well as six firms were arraigned on a 17-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
The firms are: Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Limited, Cheng Marbles Limited, Sapati International Schools Limited, Trillium Learning Centres Limited, Standout Institutes Limited and ESLI Perfect Security Printers Limited.
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The accused were said to have unlawfully sold a Federal Government property identified as House Number 4, Ahomko Drive, Achimota Phase II, Accra, Ghana.
According to the charge, Ojerinde and his sons sold the property to conceal corrupt benefit after they had forfeited it to the Federal Government.
The ICPC alleged that the corrupt benefit was conferred on Ojerinde while being a public officer by Jimoh Olabisi Olatunde through corrupt practices and abuse of office, in violation of Section 26 (1)(c) and punishable under Section 24 of the ICPC Act 2000, among others.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, and their lawyer urged the court to allow them on bail.
Although the prosecuting lawyer, Ebenezer Shogunle, objected to the bail for the defendants, Justice Inyang Ekwo granted them conditional bail. Justice Ekwo said the original title documents of the properties must be deposited with the court, while the defendants were directed to deposit their travel passports with the court’s Registrar.
The judge adjourned till November 13 for the commencement of trial, as the prosecution hinted of its plan to call 18 witnesses in the case. Nation
