Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) have arrested a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dibu Ojerinde, for alleged diversion of N5 billion.
Jimoh Olabisi, A former deputy director of JAMB, had alleged in court on Wednesday that Ojerinde used him to divert Federal Government funds.
Meanwhile, the ICPC operatives have arrested Ojerinde shortly after the hearing before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja where the former JAMB Registrar has been standing trial on an 18-count charge of diversion of public funds to the tune of N5billion.
Olabisi, a witness of the ICPC, testified against Ojerinde before the court
The ICPC had arraigned Ojerinde on July 6, 2021, on an 18-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of N5.2 billion.
The commission alleged that the former registrar committed multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
But Ojerinde has pleaded not guilty to the allegations and was granted bail in the sum of N200 million.
Olabisi told the court on Wednesday, that he was in charge of opening accounts for JAMB and admitted to opening an account in the name of JAMB/J.O. Olabisi in a commercial bank on the instruction of Ojerinde.
He said it was through this account that funds were moved from the government’s coffers.
Testifying before the court, Olabisi said, “The authority to open the account and the letter to the bank was jointly signed by Ojerinde and the then director of finance and accounts (DFA), Mallam Umar Yakubu, with specific mandate that I should be the operator of that account.
“I explained in one of my appearances here that the account was opened following an agreement between the defendant (Ojerinde) and myself as a way of deviating from what we were using in National Examinations Council (NECO) to divert public funds.
“So, the defendant subsequently discussed the issue with the DFA, hence the letter”.
The witness said the account was opened without approval from the then Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Jonah Otunla.
He said, “However, the registrar convinced the then DFA. He told him that he had gotten the approval of the AGF who happens to come from the same zone with the defendant.”
Olabisi also said Ojerinde owned a microfinance bank, Osanta Microfinance Bank Ltd while serving in government.
He also admitted to being a director at the bank.
He said, “I was put there to ease the movement of government money to the bank. The defendant is the chairman, board of directors of the bank.”
The witness also said the ex-JAMB registrar used his position to award contracts to his private companies through the Zenith Bank account number, 1012411301, of JAMB.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu later adjourned the matter for the continuation of trial after a motion by Ebenezer Shogunle, the ICPC lawyer.
The court had in 2021, remanded the former registrar in a prison facility.
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