A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, refused to grant Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, former Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, bail on alleged fraud preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu declined the oral application for bail by counsel to the defendant, P.O Olorunishola, SAN, after the ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Shogunle, opposed the submission.
The former chief executive officer of JAMB is the sole defendant in the suit marked: CR/97/21 bordering on alleged misappropriation of about N900 million.
The commission alleged that the former registrar committed multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examination Council (NECO).
Upon arraignment, Ojerinde pleaded not guilty.
Peter Olorunnishola, defendant counsel, subsequently informed the court about a bail application he filed and served on the prosecution.
He said Ebenezer Shogunle, the prosecution counsel, filed a counter-affidavit but served it late. He then sought time to respond to the counter affidavit.
Shogunle, who did not object to Olorunnishola’s request for time, opposed the defence lawyer’s application that his client be allowed to remain on the administrative bail, earlier granted him by the ICPC, pending the hearing of his bail application.
In a ruling, Obiora Egwuatu, the judge, ordered that Ojerinde be kept in a correctional facility pending the hearing of his bail application, scheduled for Thursday.
