By TAIYE AGBAJE

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, the former Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have agreed to settle the N5.2 billion case out of court.

Ojerinde’s lawyer, Eteya Ogana, informed Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after the matter was called.

Ogana said though the matter was adjourned for the defence to open their case today, he said there was a development.

“There is a development; an intervention which parties are exploring to see if the matter can be administratively settled,” he said.

According to him, in view of the foregoing, we shall be asking for a long date after vacation to enable us report same.

“That is our humble application,” he added.

ICPC’s counsel, Lesie Iheduru, also corroborated Ogana ‘s remark.

“The position stated by the learner counsel for defence is absolutely correct,” he said.

He said talks were ongoing on the reconciliation move.

“Therefore, we are not opposed to adjournment,” he said.

Justice Egwuatu consequently adjourned the matter until Oct. 20 for report/settlement or defence.

Ojerinde had, in February 2022, opted for a plea bargain with the anti-corruption commission before the settlement collapsed.

He was arraigned on 18-count charge before Justice Egwuatu in July 2021 by the commission for offences of corruption and fraud, when he headed the National Examinations Council (NECO) and JAMB.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Justice Egwuatu had, on June 10, dismissed the no-case submission filed by Ojerinde and ordered him to enter his defence.

The ex-JAMB registrar, through his lawyer, had argued that he had no case to say, insisting that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

He, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss the charges against him.

The development followed after the commission had presented witnesses and closed its case against the defendant.

But ICPC, in its argument, said it had been able to substantiate its allegations against the defendant.

The prosecution maintained that the commission had established its case and that the court should order him to enter his defence.

In his ruling, the judge held that the elements of the offence preferred against Ojerinde had been identified by the ICPC’s witnesses, requiring the defendant to enter a defence.

The ICPC alleged that Ojerinde committed multiple frauds while heading NECO and JAMB.

He was alleged to have committed offences bordering on abuse of office and fraudulent diversion of funds from government coffers to the tune of N5.2 billion.

In the proof of evidence tendered before the court by the ICPC’s lawyer, Ebenezer Shogunle, the commission accused him of conferring corrupt advantage upon himself at different times while he was the Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB and NECO respectively.

It maintained that these actions violated Sections 19, 24, 25 (1) (a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 1 (1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006. (NAN)