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Ex-JAMB registrar, Ojerinde, seeks plea bargain in alleged N5bn fraud case
Prof Dibu Ojerinde, a former Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has sought a plea bargain with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in the alleged N5 billion fraud suit levelled against him.
This situation came to light on Tuesday during the trial commencement before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court, Abuja.
Ojerinde, through his new counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, SAN, pleaded with Justice Egwuatu to give him 24 hours to settle himself with ICPC through plea bargain instead of formal trial.
Ishyaku confirmed to the Court that the former JAMB Registrar preferred out-of-court settlement known as plea bargain to resolve the matter.
“My lord, our plea is that we (should) 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,’ he said.
Read also: Court grants former JAMB registrar, Ojerinde, N200m bail
The lawyer to ICPC, Ebenezer Sogunle, did not object to the request.
He, however, said that the trial would proceed in case the plea bargain fails.
The judge fixed Wednesday for report of the plea bargain to be presented.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the ICPC on July 8, 2021, arraigned Ojerinde on an 18-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of N5 billion.
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