Alleged N900m Fraud: Court grants ex-JAMB registrar, Ojerinde, bail

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde

Justice Obiora Egwuatu made this order after the court resumed sitting to rule on the bail application after the case was stood down a second time. The court had rejected the bail application the first time after it was called up but Ojerinde was not yet produced in court for the hearing of his bail. According to the prosecution counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle, told the court that the accused was on his way but delayed by traffic.

Shogunle then filed a motion to the court to stand down on the case till the accused makes appearance in court. Without any objection from the defense counsel, Peter Olorunnishola (SAN), the judge granted the motion.

When Ojerinde was eventually brought to court, the court resumed sitting.

The defense counsel, Olorunnishola moved his motion asking the court to grant his client bail. He moved the motion in terms of the motion paper.

The Prosecution’s lawyer, Shogunle, opposed the bail application. He also argued that the claim of ill-health which Ojerinde was relying on as a ground for the bail application was not supported by any medical report. He argued that while Ojerinde was in their custody, they granted him administrative bail, but that he violated it.

Shogunle pointed the court to paragraph 5 (e, f, g) of his counter-affidavit.

He also asserted that other investigations were still ongoing and the witnesses in the investigations were subject to the influence of Ojerinde.

The defense counsel responded that they have filed their response to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit, also added that the prosecution had concluded all their investigation which was why they had charged Ojerinde to court.

On Tuesday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu had ordered that the former JAMB boss, Ojerinde, be remanded in prison pending the hearing of his bail application. Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after the former JAMB boss was arraigned on an 18-count bordering on alleged fraud and diversion of public funds to the tune of N5.2 billion.