The Federal Government has re-arrested Professor Lawrence Ojerinde, the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), together with his three sons and daughter-in-law for allegedly disposing of the organization’s property in Ghana.
The Independent Corrupt Practises and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed 17 criminal counts against Ojerinde and the six family-owned businesses.
The former JAMB Registrar is charged in the new allegation of disposing of property owned by the Federal Government that is located at House No. 4, Ahomko Drive, Achimota Phase Two, Accra, Ghana.
He and his sons allegedly sold the residence after it was lost to the federal government to cover up incorrect benefits.
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According to the new accusations, Jimoh Olabisi Olatunde provided Ojerinde with the corrupt advantage when he was a public official. This was done in violation of section 26 (1) (c) of the ICPC Act 2000 and was punishable under section 24.
Olumide Abiodun Ojerinde, Adedayo Ojerinde, and Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde are the other three sons, and Mary Funmilola Ojerinde is the daughter-in-law, in addition to Ojerinde.
The former JAMB Registrar was also said to have used false names to create bank accounts, purchase Petroleum Stations, and purchase real properties in Ilorin, Kwara State, while serving as a public officer, in addition to the alleged illegal sale of Federal Government property in Ghana.
Additionally, according to the accusations, several of the sons engaged as brokers to assist speedy purported sales of the Ghanaian house.
However, each defendant entered a not guilty plea when the accusations were read.
Ojerinde and Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde’s defence attorney for the ICPC, Ebenezer Shogunle, opposed giving them bail due to their failure to accept several invitations from the anti-graft organisation and the likelihood that additional charges would be brought against them.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, the trial judge, questioned the ICPC’s attorney if there were any current criminal charges against the organisation and whether or not they had been granted bail by the courts, to which the attorney provided a positive response.
The attorney acknowledged that Ojerinde was facing two trials: one before the Federal High Court in Abuja and one before the Niger State High Court in Minna.
After learning that the former JAMB Registrar had previously been granted bail by another Federal High court in Abuja, Justice Ekwo used the prior bail terms to grant him bail. The judge, however, acknowledged that the three sons and daughter-in-law had been granted bail in the amount of N20 million, along with one surety for each, who had to be an Abuja property owner.
The defendants were instructed to leave their original passports with the court’s registrar and not leave the country without the court’s authorization, while the original title documents for the properties were to be deposited with the court.
A trial date of November 13, 14, 15, and 16 has been set, during which the ICPC is anticipated to summon 18 witnesses to testify against the defendants. Additionally, Justice Ekwo ordered Ojeriende to immediately attend to his deteriorating health in order to be able to stand for trial as required by law.
