Alleged N5bn Fraud: ICPC re-arrests Ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde in court

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.

Ojerinde, who is already facing trial for allegedly diverting public funds totalling about N5billion, was arrested at the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja by operatives of the ICPC, shortly after his case was adjourned till February 15.

Though ICPC operatives declined to disclose the reason the erstwhile JAMB boss was re-arrested, however, Vanguard learned that the Commission had earlier obtained a warrant for his arrest.

It was gathered that the arrest order was issued by the Chief Judge of the high court, Justice John Tsoho, following an ex-parte application that was brought by the ICPC.

A former Deputy Director of Finance at the examination body, Mr Jimoh Olabisi, who appeared as a witness in Ojerinde’s trial, had in his Evidence-In-Chief before the court, made indicting revelations that were not part of the charge already pending against the Defendant.

“There are still so many things that we want the Defendant to explain but because he has been on bail, he has been reluctant to make himself available to the Commission.

“As a law abiding institution, we approached the court and obtained a warrant for his arrest. It is that warrant that we have executed”, a member of the Prosecution team who pleaded anonymity, told Vanguard on Thursday.

Ojerinde was arrested while he was heading to his car with one of his sons, after trial Justice Obiora Egwatu adjourned further proceedings in the pending 18-count charge the ICPC preferred against him.

(Vanguard)