The arraignment of a former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof Dibu Ojerinde, and others, including his three children, was stalled on Friday. The court therefore adjourned the matter till April 19.
The planned arraignment on fresh corruption charges bordering on money laundering did not hold owing to the non-service of copies of the charge on all the defendants as required by law.
Ojerinde and his companies are facing a money laundering charge to the tune of N5bn before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
In the fresh charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/119/23, the ex-JAMB boss and other defendants are accused of engaging in money laundering.
During Friday’s proceedings, only Ojerinde was in court when the case was called as other defendants were absent. The defendants are his three sons, Olumide Ojerinde, Adedayo Ojerinde and Oluwaseun Ojerinde and the daughter-in-law, Mary Funmilola Ojerinde.
When Justice Inyang Ekwo queried why the other defendants were absent, the prosecuting counsel from the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission, Henry Emore, said the prosecution was yet to serve the other defendants. Emore therefore applied for an adjournment to enable him to put his house in order.
Before the adjournment, the judge ordered that the charge be served on the other defendants through their counsel, Ajibola Bello, who was in court.
The judge fixed April 19 for the arraignment. He warned that there would be consequences if the other defendants failed to show up in court on the adjourned date.
Other defendants in the charge are Doyin Ogbohi Petroleum Ltd, Cheng Marbles Ltd, Sapati International Schools Ltd, Trillium Learning Centre Ltd, Standout Institutes Ltd and Esli Perfect Security Printers Ltd, said to belong to the ex-registrar.
