ALLEGED ₦5BILLION FRAUD: Ex-JAMB Registrar Ojerinde Seeks Plea Bargain, The Former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Adedibu Ojerinde standing trial in an alleged ₦5b fraud in Abuja opted for a plea bargain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC) to get a soft landing.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja where his trial was scheduled to commence, Ojerinde pleaded with the trial Judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu to give him 24 hours to settle himself with ICPC through plea bargain instead of a formal trial.
His new lead counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) told the court on Tuesday that his client prefers an out-of-court settlement known as a plea bargain to resolve the matter.
The senior lawyer informed the judge that the trial could commence if, after 24 hours, the matter could not be resolved.
ALLEGED ₦5BILLION FRAUD: Ex-JAMB Registrar Ojerinde Seeks Plea Bargain
“My Lord, our plea is that we be given 24 hours to explore the possibility of plea bargain to resolve this matter and we ask that the trial be adjourned for the period to enable us come up with our terms of settlement,” Ishyaku said.
ICPC lawyer, Ebenezer Sogunle did not object to the request but insisted that the trial would proceed in case the plea bargain fails.
ICPC had on July 8, 2021, arraigned the former JAMB Registrar on an 18-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of over ₦900 million.
He was said to have committed the offense during his tenure as Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO) and JAMB.