FORMER Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Adedibu Ojerinde, has prayed the Federal High Court Abuja to order his release from detention.
Ojerinde is facing trial over allegedly diverting public funds amounting to about 5 billion naira.
His counsel, Eteya Ogana, at the day’s proceedings drew attention of the court to a motion challenging the method in which the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) re-arrested his client, even as he applied for his release from detention.
Ogana stated that the anti-corruption agency re-arrested his client without a valid warrant.
However, the trial Judge,Justice Obiora Egwuatu, stated that Ojerinde’s fresh application could not be found in the court’s record.
The defence lawyer, Ogana, subsequently admitted that there was a mix up in the filing of the charge sheet. He, therefore, prayed for an adjournment to enable him to correct the error.
The ICPC on its part, refuted the allegation that the ex-JAMB Registrar was re-arrested without a warrant.
It urged the court to inspect a warrant he adduced to establish that Ojerinde’s re-arrest and detention had legal backing.
He argued that the fresh application by the defendant had been overtaken by events since he has already been charged before another court on a separate matter.
After he had listened to both sides, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter till June 20.
Recall that Ojerinde was re-arrested on January 26 2023, on the premises of the Federal High Court by operatives of the ICPC.
His arrest came after a former Deputy Director of Finance at the examination body, Jimoh Olabisi, gave his testimony as the 4th prosecution witness.
Comments are closed.