Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), his three sons, and a daughter-in-law were charged on Thursday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
They were indicted with 17 counts of official corruption, abuse of office, and forgery before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The accused, who were all present in court, were charged alongside the six family businesses.
Ojerinde was charged with selling a Federal Government property, House No. 4, Ahomko Drive, Achimota Phase Two, Accra, Ghana.
Ojerinde and his sons were believed to have sold the residence after it was surrendered to the Federal Government to conceal illicit benefits.
He was accused of engaging in the act while serving as a public officer, which is a violation of Section 26 (1) (c) and punishable under Section 24 of the ICPC Act 2000.
While serving as a public officer, the former JAMB registrar was also accused of acquiring corporations, opening bank accounts, acquiring gas stations, and purchasing landed property in Ilorin, Kwara.
They, however, pled not guilty to all counts. The ICPC’s counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle, rejected Prof. Ojerinde’s bail request and that of his son, Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde, based on their reluctance to honor a series of invitations from the anti-graft agency, as well as the possibility of pursuing additional accusations against them.
Justice Ekwo questioned Shogunle if they were facing criminal accusations and if they had been granted bail by the courts, to which the lawyer replied positively.
Shogunle stated that Ojerinde was facing a similar trial in Minna before a Niger High Court and another case in Abuja before a Federal High Court.
As a result, the judge granted them bail on the terms previously given by the courts.
He also granted the three sons and daughter-in-law N20 million bail and a surety each in the same amount who must own a landed property in Abuja with valid proof of ownership.
Justice Ekwo ruled that the original title documents for the property be placed with the court and that the defendants deposit their travel documents with the court registrar and not leave the country without the court’s consent.
He ordered Ojerinde, who sobbed openly in court, to get medical attention immediately so that he could stand trial as required by law.
The judge scheduled the trial to begin on November 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Olumide Abiodun Ojerinde, Adedayo Ojerinde, and Oluwaseun Adeniyi Ojerinde are the three sons charged by the ICPC along with Mary Funmilola Ojerinde is the daughter-in-law.
Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Ltd, Cheng Marbles Limited, Sapati International Schools Ltd, Trillium Learning Centers Ltd, Standout Institutes Ltd, and ESLI Perfect Security Printers Ltd are among the companies involved.
