Former Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Adedibu Ojerinde standing trial over an alleged N5 billion fraud on Tuesday in Abuja opted for a plea cut price with the Unbiased Corrupt Practices and different associated offences Fee (ICPC).
On the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, the place his trial was scheduled to start, Ojerinde pleaded with the trial Decide, Justice Obiora Egwuatu to provide him 24 hours to settle himself with ICPC via a plea cut price as an alternative of a proper trial.
His new lead counsel, Ibrahim Ishyaku, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), instructed the courtroom that his consumer prefers an out of courtroom settlement often known as a plea cut price to resolve the matter.
The senior lawyer knowledgeable the decide that the trial may start if, after 24 hours, the matter couldn’t be resolved.
“My Lord, our plea is that we be given 24 hours to discover the opportunity of a plea cut price to resolve this matter and we ask that the trial be adjourned for the interval to allow us to provide you with our phrases of the settlement.”
ICPC lawyer, Mr Ebenezer Sogunle didn’t object to the request however insisted that the trial would proceed in case the plea cut price fails.
The ICPC had on July 8, 2021, arraigned the previous JAMB Registrar on an 18-count cost bordering on diversion of public funds to the tune of over N900 million.
He was mentioned to have dedicated the offence throughout his tenure as Registrar of the Nationwide Examination Council (NECO) and JAMB.
Ojerinde nonetheless pleaded not responsible to all the costs and was later admitted to bail within the sum of N200 million.
In the meantime, Justice Egwuatu has fastened February 9, for a report of the plea cut price to be introduced. Supply: DailyPost
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