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Court to rule on ex-JAMB chief, Ojerinde’s suit against ICPC June 28
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, fixed June 28 for ruling in a suit filed by a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for alleged unlawful arrest.
The judge fixed the date after Ojerinde’s counsel, A.A. Usman, and lawyer to ICPC, Ebenezer Shogunle, adopted their processes and presented their arguments at the proceeding.
The ex-JAMB registrar had in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/179/2023 is seeking the enforcement of his fundamental rights following his re-arrest within the court premises on January 26 and his subsequent detention by the commission’s operatives.
He, therefore, sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission and its officers from arresting or detaining him on account of the petition for which he was currently facing a criminal charge.
He also urged the court to order the ICPC to pay him the sum of N500 million as damages for the breach of his rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, dignity of the human person, and presumption of innocence as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
He equally demanded the payment of N100 million from the commission as the cost of filing the suit, among others.
READ ALSO: Alleged N10bn fraud: ICPC re-arrests ex-JAMB Registrar, Ojerinde, in Abuja
At the resumed hearing in the matter, Usman told the court that his client had been in detention for over 100 days after his re-arrest without a valid court order.
The counsel urged the court to stop the ICPC from harassing or detaining his client.
But Shogunle disagreed with Usman, insisting that a warrant of arrest, signed by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, was obtained by the commission.
He urged the court to dismiss the suit.
After the arguments, Justice Egwuatu fixed June 38 for judgment.
The ICPC had accused the ex-JAMB boss of diverting N5 billion from the agency and was arraigned on an 18-count charge of money laundering.
Ojerinde was re-arrested by ICPC operatives on January 26 while he was heading to his car after Justice Egwuatu adjourned the trial.
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