The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, remanded the former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Dibu Ojerinde in prison custody.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the remand order after the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, arraigned the ex-JAMB Registrar on an 18-count criminal charge.
Oyerinde was in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/97/2021 alleged to have committed multiple frauds while he held sway at JAMB.
ICPC specifically accused him of complicity in the misappropriation of about N900million belonging to the examination body.
However, Defendant, upon his arraignment, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
He further prayed the court, through his lawyer, Mr. Peter Olorunnishola, to release him on bail pending the conclusion of his trial.
Meanwhile, counsel to the ICPC, Ebenezer Shogunle, told the court that he filed a counter-affidavit to oppose Oyerinde’s bail application.
Following request by the defence lawyer to be granted time to respond to the counter-affidavit, trial Justice Egwuatu adjourned the case till Thursday.
The court rejected plea by the Defendant to be allowed to continue to enjoy the administrative bail the ICPC earlier granted to him.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu ordered that he should be kept in a correctional facility, pending the determination of his bail application.
Credit: ObjecTv