'False identities, forged documents' - ICPC speaks on re-arrest of Dibu Ojerinde

Dibu Ojerinde

Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, ex-JAMB registrar

Former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Adedibu Ojerinde is in fresh trouble.

This became evident on Thursday when he was re-arrested by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the car park of Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday.

This was shortly after his trial on 18-count charge bordering on abuse of office and fraud to the tune of about N10 billion also filed against him by ICPC was adjourned.

Spokesperson for ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, later confirmed that Ojerinde was rearrested based on a warrant issued by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

According to her, the re-arrest of the former Registrar followed new evidence uncovered in relation to his ongoing trial for diversion of funds while he was a public officer.

She said the former JAMB Registrar was invited by the commission for questioning over the new findings in December last year, but he failed to honour the invitation.

According to her, Ojerinde wrote through his solicitor requesting 14 days’ grace to enable him to honour the invitation.

“Ojerinde, however, refused to honour the invitation as undertaken by his counsel after the expiration of the 14 days grace on Dec. 27, 2022.

On the new evidence of alleged corruption by Ojerinde uncovered by the anti-graft agency, Ogugua said, “ICPC operatives uncovered two accounts opened in the names of Trillium Learning Centre Ltd and Sapati International Schools Ltd into which funds were diverted using fictitious names of students.

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“In the course of its ongoing investigation, the Commission unearthed new evidence that suggests that Ojerinde is the sole signatory to various bank accounts operated in the name of Trillium Learning Centre Ltd and Sapati International School Ltd.

“Ojerinde reportedly operated those accounts using false identities and forged documents in the names of Joshua Olakulehin Olaniran and Akanbi Lamidi, respectively.

“He also reportedly used another false identity, Adeniyi Banji to operate a separate account in the name of Standout Institutes Ltd, ” she alleged.

Ogugua further explained that the ICPC also recovered the cheque books of the companies’ accounts from Ojerinde, who has been taken into custody at the headquarters of the Commission.

According to her, the Commission may likely prosecute Ojerinde before a court of competent jurisdiction.

According to the ICPC spokesperson, Ojerinde would be tried on offences bordering on forgery of documents, stolen identity, money laundering and concealment of gratification, if the new evidence is confirmed.

“Ojerinde is currently being prosecuted by the Commission at the Federal High Court Abuja and Federal High Court Minna on an 18-count charge bordering on abuse of office and fraud to the tune of about N10 billion.

“He committed the offences while serving as heads of two government agencies, the National Examination Council (NECO) and JAMB.

“He had allegedly conferred corrupt advantages upon himself at different times while being Head of JAMB and NECO, thereby violating Sections 19, 24, 25 (1) (a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Section 1 (1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2006,” she added.

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